Rules, Rules, Rules... Sick of 'Em!

Rules, rules, rules… Why are there so many rules and boundaries set to make our lives more miserable?

A lot of people view the Christian’s Ten Commandments as rules that are only achievable by being a monk in a monastery and isolating oneself away from the rest of the world. This may seem quite true but it is really not.

Author of the book Rumours of Another World, Philip Yancey, wrote in his book about his experience with his orthopedic surgeon who was paid thousands of dollars to correct some problem with Philip’s left foot.

While rehabilitating, Philip persisted on exercising although it hurt him because he knew that working through the pain would allow his foot to heal faster. On the other hand, his surgeon forbade bicycling, hiking, running and other activities that might endanger the healing process. Basically, anything that sounded fun was vetoed.

On one visit Philip tried to talk his surgeon into permitting his a premature golf match. “Some close friends get together only once a year, and this one’s important to me. I’ve been practicing my swing, and if I use only my upper body, and keep my legs and hips very still, could I join them? I think I could keep most of my weight on my right foot.”

Without a flicker of hesitation the doctor replied, “It would make me very unhappy if you were to play golf within the next two months.”
“I thought you were a golfer,” Philip said, seeking sympathy.
“I am. That’s how I know you can’t swing without rolling that foot inward and putting weight on the bones that are trying to heal.”

Philip later told his wife and joked, “Why should I care if my doctor was unhappy? I am not his psychiatrist.”

Philip then understood that the doctor did not want him to play golf this year, but wanted him to play the next year, and the next, and the next, and for the rest of his life. The doctor gave Philip a free choice by not saying, “No! You can’t play!”

The doctor is likened to God and His “commanding ways”. Rules are set not to bind us but they are set to free us. It is to free us from the consequences of sin and of an unhappy life and of death. God gave us the commands but He also gave us the free will to act upon our decisions. He wants us to enjoy more of life by not doing what seem “okay” and “good”.

Don’t we always think of God as a strict and authority figure? May people see religion mainly as a set of rules, a moral code handed down from an invisible world that we on this planet are somehow obligated to obey. Why it matter to God whether puny creatures on a tiny planet kept his rules, we have no clue. We only hear of dire warnings that if we break the rules, we would pay for it.

A doctor sees two set of lungs. On the left is one that is so white like marble, so shiny and smoothly textured. The other set is the dramatic contrast, the lungs look like they have been used to clean a chimney. Black as tar, sediments clogging the delicate membranes designed to capture oxygen. This set of black lungs came from a chain smoker.

After seeing such drastic contrast of two lungs that started off the same, don’t you think a doctor would set an unspoken rule against smoking and will advise you not to smoke?

Think about that.

Psalm 119:33-40
Teach me, O Lord, to follow your decrees;
then I will keep them to the end.
Give me understanding, and I will keep your law
and obey it with all my heart.
Direct me in the paths of your commands,
for there I find delight.
Turn my heart towards your statutes
and not towards selfish gain.
Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
preserve my life according to your word.
Fulfill your promise to your servant,
so that you may be feared.
Take away the disgrace that I dread,
for your laws are good.
How I long for your percepts!
Preserve my life in your righteousness.