June 11, 2009

Catch Me if You Can

Recently I visited with a thirty-something man who manages a local business. He disagreed with some of the city’s ordinances and codes, so his solution was to simply ignore them. “I guess you could say this is just my little protest. I can’t change the rules, but I don’t think I should have to follow them when I think they’re wrong.” I was somewhat taken back by his attitude, especially since he’d had a tour of duty with the Marines. By all appearances he is someone who doesn’t like rules, so I imagine his superiors were glad to see him leave military life and become a civilian again. Many believers are no different than the store manager when it comes to God’s requirements. If we don’t agree with a Biblical mandate, we protest by simply not complying with the ones we think are wrong. Whether in the physical world or the spiritual world we sometimes have arrogant attitudes. What’s unbelievable is we seem to be telling God, “It may be wrong, but first you have to catch me in the act…

1 comment:

Steve Corey said...

Gail;

-----Arrogance is relative to the truth. No one, believer or not, can deny the principles and rules of the Bible without being arrogant, because the Bible is the epitome of truth. The rules of the Bible are based on love. When you get right down to it, life itself is based on love. That is the way God created it, right? But since man kissed Satan and fragged God, the rules and ordinances of man’s government have not been based upon love. Whether it be government, church, or any other organization, often it is their rules that are arrogant, not the one denying them. History reveals an endless trail of arrogant governments using their citizens to their own advantage and despoiling them of their individual sovereignty given by God. Maybe I am a bit biased, but I believe this country had come the closest to a godly, loving government man has ever experienced. But alas, man’s arrogance has now denuded even its laws of the integrity and honor they once offered to the honest and upright citizen.
-----I don’t know the situation between this man and the City. Although a fundamental portion of the City’s ordinances are proper and loving to its citizen’s, a portion are also disgusting and ungodly. There is no reason why a government should ignore the principles of love, care, and concern for its citizens and strap them with such pompous laws as requiring a business to pave the ally if it wishes to build a portico around its front door. We are now entering an era of government mentality that will tax anything and everything to have the money to do whatever it deems is important, all in the name of serving the community. But to think that taking advantage of one citizen to make life easier for another is a good thing is to think that slavery is a good thing. I see freedom fighters of a peaceful revolution in good folks who buck out-of-bounds rules. God bless their courage and efforts to the erosion of government arrogance, for they are really the meek ones. Every citizen should do their part in keeping government honest about the principles of love and freedom that should underlie its laws.

Love you all,
Steve Corey