By Ken Murrell Depew Church of Christ
Did your mother ever say this? You were left alone on Saturday afternoon. Your mother went shopping. Before going out the door, her last words were, “Don’t dip into the cookie jar!”
You just had to. All those delicious cookies. The jar was on the kitchen counter, just out of reach. You climbed up to the counter, stretched way back, reaching quickly, you jostled the jar. The lid crashed to the floor, shattering.
When your mother arrived home, walking into the kitchen, she called your name - all of them! She didn’t sound pleasant.
“When will you ever learn?” your mother asked.
You think, ‘I won’t ever do that again.’ Hmm!
Authority. You may not agree with it, but laws and rules are for our good (1 Peter 2:13--14). Ever disobey traffic laws, text, or make a phone call while driving?
When your car jumped the curb, that huge, old oak tree just beyond it abruptly stopped your car. Totaled. Oops! Won’t get by this time.
When will you ever learn? Looking at the Bible, you think that God only makes rules to limit your fun. Don’t get drunk! Don’t take what doesn’t belong to you! Don’t have sex outside marriage (fornication). Don’t commit…. Ugh!
So many rules, huh? But,“when will you ever learn?”
God isn’t trying to just take away all your ‘fun.’ Most of His ‘rules’ are actually there to protect you.
Prisons are full of people who went out for a good time, got drunk, then drove. People died! Innocent families changed. Some got high on drugs, took advantage of a young girl, and she suffered “a fate worse than death!” Dying inside!
Teens who don’t control their hormones, go out partying. They have sex. She gets pregnant. All they wanted was a little fun. Three lives changed forever – usually, not for the better. Too young to marry. Parents disappointed. Friends are glad it didn’t happen to them.
To marry, only to divorce a few years later, isn’t best. Divorce is very painful. Single parents are struggling everywhere. Grandparents care fulltime for their grandchildren.
Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18). Are you willing to live under Jesus’ authority?
He also said, “I came, so that they might have life – to the fullest!” ( John 10:10) When will you ever learn that God loves you? Place your faith and trust in God. He wants what is best for you.