Ordinary Wonderment

Today's Joy: A Rumination on Rules.
Had our first official church community group study session last night, Reader. We talked about the first three books of the Old Testament and how they establish God's Laws for us to live by. I'm not a big rule-follower, Reader. Laws, rules, regulations, bylaws, directives, mandates and policies make me itchy. Especially those designed to compensate for a lack of self-control or ethical choices.

They may tell you what the right thing to do is, but rules also absolve you of the responsibility of thinking it out for yourself. Now, I understand what you're going to say here, that we need rules and a common, agreed upon code of behavior for society to function. The way the world is, I'm unfortunately forced to agree. But I also believe that, at some level, all human struggles are based on power and the desire to control in one form or another. That's why our relationship with God is such a revelation. It's based on surrender and trust in Love.

In my spiritual journey, it's been much more meaningful for me to focus on the fellowship and daily application of my relationship with God. So, it is a relief to hear that the Ten Commandments, while the most worthy list of rules ever written, were intended to emphasize our lack of perfection and need for divine guidance, rather than as just an impossible list of rules we despair of ever achieving.

In studying them myself, I see that the commandments are actually all about love and its kissing cousin, respect. If you look at each of the commandments individually, they are not just the "right" things to do. They are things you instinctively do in your relationship with someone you truly love & respect. Honoring, sharing, not coveting, not putting something else before that which matters most to us, gentleness and not acting in ways that hurt others or damage lives. It's in our very make-up to know this is how you care for and behave toward people you love.

I understand that life is rarely that simple or straightforward. I also understand that in our imperfection, we all make mistakes, bad choices, hurt people we love and carry around our own burden of pain. But all these things stem from a human choice (our own as often as not) not to follow these basic rules of love.

After all, ______ is such a small thing.
Who will it hurt if I _________ just this once?
I know I should _________, but I'm in a hurry.
________ will never know the difference.
I wish I had ___________'s life.

When you take it back to what you really know in your heart, the commandments are a simple, basic truth of life--like the law of gravity. While invisible, we know it's always there, present in every part of our lives (even at the cellular level) and keeping us grounded. Of course, with enough effort, you could break free from it, but then you'd be floating around aimlessly. Still, if you choose to return, you're gathered right back in, as if you never left.

Hmmm....perhaps gravity is a physical manifestation of love. Wouldn't that be a revelation?