“God’s word is restrictive!”
“I don’t like being told what I can and cannot do!”
God is against everything that is fun!
Perhaps you have heard these arguments – perhaps you have used these arguments or something like them.
We all want to do things our own way. It is a trait we inherited from our first parents (Adam and Eve) when they decided that God was restrictive, and they didn’t like being told what they could not do. This, all because a snake told them they could have more fun if they made their own rules.
I was an elementary school teacher for twenty years. In one form or another, I heard similar arguments against school policy from second graders. (Yes, I am comparing adults complaining about God’s standards to second graders.)
We get better at the way we communicate our displeasure when we don’t get our own way, but it usually boils down to: “If I can’t have what I want, I’m taking my ball and going home!” Our tantrums have become more refined, but they still try to drive us in the direction we are hoping to go (using the ever effective – wear the opposition down- method). We also resort to the equivalent of sticking our fingers in our ears while screaming, “I can’t hear you!”; as if things that are wrong are only wrong if we acknowledge it.
Contemplating a decision to join in an activity which seemed like great fun and would benefit me socially, I saw myself in our school playground. The playground had swings, balls, teeter-totters, sidewalk chalk, a slide, and much more – so many choices! It was designed and built by caring parents and school officials for the express purpose of bringing joy to the students. One more thing the playground had was a fence – a boundary against a road, a parking lot, and private property.
The fence was strategically placed to keep the children from the dangers that could ruin all their fun. Inevitably, some kids wanted to breach the boundary for seemingly harmless reasons. They wanted to chase the ball that got away and was right at the side of the road. They saw their mother pull into the parking lot and wanted to give her a hug. They wanted to pet the dog tied up in the neighbor’s yard.
We never let them beyond the fence. Why? Was it because we didn’t want them to have the ball? Was it because hugging Mom is a reprehensible public display of affection? Or was it that we detest dogs? Of course not!
It was because we knew that the risk of bad things happening increased exponentially outside the fence!
Let’s bring this back to God. God designed and built humanity a beautiful playground with many fun things to do. He built it with the express purpose of seeing humans enjoy this space He had provided. He also built a “fence” around this space. In the beginning, it was a small fence around one tree, but after that fence was breached (see Genesis 3), He provided a larger, all-encompassing fence that spelled out the boundaries (the Bible).
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; (Isaiah 53:6a NIV)
You, me, everyone wants to step foot outside the fence, but there are dangers there we cannot perceive. That’s why God provided the fence – to keep us from dangers that can occur not only in this life, but could have eternal consequences as well. He has standards because He loves us!
The next time I am faced with a choice to join in something on the other side of the fence, I pray I choose to remain inside God’s playground….and I pray you do too.
Let’s pray:
Abba, You are a good, good Father. Because You love Your children, You have established clear boundaries for us and have communicated them through Your Word. Please forgive us when we redefine love as wanton permissiveness, and so seek to justify our desires. Thank You for the beauty and wonder of creation and for all the opportunities for joy that You provide. Please give us wisdom to recognize and avoid temptations to travel to the other side of Your fence. In the name of Jesus, Amen.