5-27-20

Here is a little story about Jack and his family.

Jack is a nice young man. He is the son of a mayor in a small little town. Jack is 16 years old. He is so excited that he just got his license to drive. Just like any other new driver, all he wants to do is be on the road. Jack drives around town on familiar streets that his parents used to take him on. Jack comes to a 4 way stop in a quiet neighborhood. He had watched his mom and dad come to that intersection many times over the years. There is usually no one around, so it was custom for his parents to just look both ways before they got there and roll through the stop sign. Jack remembers his dad telling him, “This is the silliest place to put a stop sign, it isn’t needed anymore. Why should I have to stop here if no one is around, I have places to be?” So Jack, with his father’s logic fresh in his mind, follows suit. Jack gets near to the intersection, looks both ways, and runs the stop sign. Immediately after he crosses the road to the other side, a police officer pulls up behind him, turns on his lights, and pulls him over. Jack is nervous. The officer comes to his window and asks Jack if he knows why he was getting pulled over. Jack replies that he thinks it is because he ran the stop sign. Jack then precedes to justify his actions, and tells the officer about how his parents always run through it and that he thought it was ok since they did it. The police officer laughs a little bit. He tells Jack that just because his parents think it is ok to overlook the law of the road, doesn’t make it right. That stop sign is there whether they acknowledge it or not, and there is good reason for it to be here. The officer tells Jack that the stop sign is there for the safety of the citizens of the town, to keep them safe from harm. Jack realizes his error, and apologizes. The police officer is kind, and lets Jack off with a warning instead of a ticket and then sends him on his way. Jack has a renewed outlook on the laws of the road. When Jack sees a speed limit sign, he slows to the correct speed. When Jack changes lanes, he makes sure he uses his blinker. Jack is now a law abiding citizen.

Jack goes home after his ride through town. He tells his father about getting pulled over. Jack’s dad is furious that the officer had the audacity to pull his son over for such a minor offence. He starts ranting and shouting that no son of his should have to stop at such a ridiculous stop sign! Jack’s dad said that there used to be a reason for that stop sign to be there, but things have changed by golly and it is useless now! Jack listens to his father, then walks off and goes to his room to get ready for bed.

The next morning Jack’s father wakes up still angry from the situation from the day before. He gets this big idea. Jack’s father thinks to himself that since he is the mayor of the town, he can just take the sign down himself. If there’s no sign, then they don’t have to stop. So he grabs his tools and heads to the intersection that the stop sign is at. Jack’s father cuts down the sign and hides it securely in the bushes. He is excited and proud of himself for eliminating the absurd stop sign that is slowing everyone down. Jack’s dad drives away and goes to work.

A few hours later, the local hospital calls his office. They tell him that there has been a terrible accident, and that he needs to come quick. Jack’s dad is distraught, and rushes to the emergency room. The nurses take him into a room. In the room is his wife, Jack’s mother. She is covered in blood from her head to her toe. Jack’s father asks his wife what happened. She is weak and can barely talk. She tells him that she was going for her morning jog. She was on the other side of town in the quiet neighborhood. She jogged across the intersection, but when she got in the middle of the road, a large truck topped the hill and ran through the intersection running her over. She cried and said that someone had taken down the stop sign and the trucker didn’t know to stop. Jack’s father began to weep because he realized that it was his fault that his wife was hurt.

The moral to this story is this. Stop signs, speed limit signs, and instructions for driving on the road are not there to be burden. There are good reasons for the rules of the road to be set in place. For one, they will keep you and others from harm. Another reason is to keep people from making up their own rules. There has to be a standard. Otherwise it would be a free for all, and people will get hurt. The one who placed the signs there knows all the ins and outs of why they should be there, even if we don’t understand, and we don’t have the authority to change them ourselves just because they seem like an inconvenience to us.

This rationale can be used in regard to the Instructions that Yahweh has given to His people in the Bible. He is so loving and kind (Psalm 86:15; John 3:16)! His Instructions are not a burden (1 John 5:3; Deuteronomy 30:11-14; Psalm 119). They guide us in a way that keeps us from harm and bless us (Deuteronomy 11:26-28). His Directions keep us on a straight path (Jeremiah 29:11). His Torah defines sin, It is the standard (1 John 3:4). Yahweh sent His Son to pay the death penalty which is the debt for the transgression of His Law, so that we can live a life set apart from sinfulness, a direct reflection of Christ Himself (1 Peter 2:24). Walk in Christ’s Ways (Colossians 2:6), because they are the Father’s Ways (John 7:16). Stay the course my friends (Revelation 14:12). We don’t have the authority to change what the Father has set forth (Deuteronomy 4:2; Deuteronomy 12:32; Revelation 22:18).

Dear Father, I pray that this little story has blessed my friends today. I pray that the false narrative that is circulating which says that Yahweh’s instructions are not needed anymore, will be brought out into the light where it can be seen for what it really is. Such a great deception! Father, You brought us out of the lawlessness which is sin, and brought us into Your set apart family to be a beacon of hope to all the nations, bringing glory to Your name. I pray that all who read this understands the point that I am trying to get across to them. That I am not trying to verse pluck or deceive any one, because when Your Word is read in the correct context, It is a fluent, seamless collaboration that never contradicts Itself. You are the same from the beginning to the end. Father I pray that You know my heart, and see that I long to obey your Statutes because I love You, because You first loved me! Father, You stated in Your Word that out of obedience comes blessing, but Your salvation is only found through Jesus Christ and not our works so we should boast. I am so thankful You sent your Son to pay the debt for my sins, and I hold tight to His words when He says to repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Father, thank You for Your Instructions that show me what I need to repent from, and thank You for Your Holy Spirit, that You have given to me which produces in me the desire to walk in Your Ways just as Christ did. I am so thankful to be Your child! Amen