Recently while cleaning out my study at home, I stumbled upon a
backpack I hadn’t used in several weeks and found a note inside. It
was a list of rules that I had written a while back. Obviously, in a
time of inspiration as a parent, I jotted down a few things for my kids…
- Respect Mommy and Daddy
- Be nice to sisters
- Food in kitchen only
- Put clothes away in drawers
You get the idea. If you’re a parent, you’ve probably done something
like this yourself. And maybe you’ve even followed it for a while and
had good success. The reality is simple: rules play a part in our
everyday life. In fact, one way or the other, rules play a part in our
Christianity.
I’ve discovered that there are two ways that I can look at rules.
One, I can live a rules-centered life. In a rules-centered life, I find
myself following certain rules and certain guidelines of right and
wrong, so that I can try to please God, or somehow prove that I’m a
“good enough” Christian. The truth is…that is not the Christian life
God has called me to. The second option I have, is to live a
God-centered life. In this mindset, I’m spending time reading the
Bible and praying and setting in my mind and my heart upon God each
day. Therefore I want to do the right things for the right reasons.
So rules aren’t a bad thing, but I don’t believe God has called us to
live a rules-centered life. He’s called us to live a God-centered life.
Posted on
Thu, November 13, 2008
by James Scarborough