God's Guidelines

(The following story is an excerpt from a devotional book that I am writing)

Eric Johnson was six years old when he learned a very important lesson almost the hard way; to be honest, what could have turned out to be quite tragic. His mother had set boundaries around their lawn that he could not cross over and this made Eric feel like he was being treated like a little child--even though he really was one. His mother warned him about the dangers that lay in the nearby street with fast cars that the bigger kids were driving with, but Eric wasn't listening. He wanted to prove that he could make it safely across the street without holding his mother's hand. He wanted to show the world that he was now a big boy and could take care of himself. And on one occasion, he had the perfect opportunity.
 Eric and his mother were sitting outside on the steps of their house playing with his trucks when the phone began to ring in the kitchen. His mother had been waiting for a very important phone call all morning long, so she told Eric to stay where he was and that she would be right back. Eric was not alone for more than a few seconds and he looked out at the empty street that lay just yards away from where he sat. He stood up and ran to the edge of the curb. He remembered seeing his older sister look both directions before crossing the street, so he knew that he should do so, too. However, he didn't understand that she really "looked" to see if there was oncoming traffic coming. It became evident that he did not. He quickly swung his head from one side to the other, as if his sister's head turning was nothing more than a ritual. He took a step down from the curb and found that he was soon standing with both feet on the actual road pavement.
 Eric was about to take another step when his ears heard something moving swiftly towards him. He lifted his head in the direction of the noise and found himself in the pathway of an approaching vehicle. He didn't move. His reflexes could do nothing. He just stared at the car drawing closer and closer to him. Then suddenly two strong hands grabbed him around the waist and both he and his rescuer landed on the grass in front of his house; just seconds before the car and its inattentive driver came rolling past the very spot that Eric had stood moments before. "Eric!" cried his mother, as she drew him closer to herself. "What were you doing?"
He started to sob and tried to explain his reasoning for crossing the street without any help from an adult.
His mother pulled him away and told him to look into her eyes for a minute. "You know I set boundaries for you not to cross, right?"
"Yes..." He responded, knowing that a lecture was soon to follow. But he didn't mind though, because he now realized he was very foolish to try such a stunt.
"I set those boundaries there for your safety," She started to explain in a calm manner. "You think that the list of rules for you to follow are made to make your life miserable. What do you think would have happened if you had obeyed me and not gone out into the street?"
Eric thought for a moment. "I would still be playing with my trucks on the porch?"
She nodded her head. "Why do you think I make rules for you to follow, Eric?"
He shrugged. Not really knowing and comprehending why parents do such things.
"I make rules because I care about you. A mother who didn't care about her children would not set boundaries. She wouldn't care what happened to her child; but I do about you. Not only could you have been hurt by that car, but you endangered my life as well. Your choices will not only effect yourself; but everyone around you as well. Do you understand what I am saying, Eric?"
Eric looked up and smiled at his mom, "Yes, mommy." Now fully understanding that his mother does "such things" out of love.


Much the same way, people are inclined to believe that God's Word is nothing more than a book of rules and regulations to follow. A book that has nothing more to say than "Don't do this..." and "Don't do that..." But it's God's way of giving us safety guidelines to follow. Because like Eric, we may think we can do things and we'll be okay. That we are grown up, mature enough to handle any situation we find ourselves in. We don't analyze the danger until we are met with it and then we wish we hadn't taken that route. God gives us instructions because he knows that we humans are frail in our own strength. We can easily fall into the camouflaged pits and the awful snares that Satan designs to make us sin. He tricks us into thinking that God just wants to make our lives miserable and that we really can do anything we want without God. But then when we do, we usually end up living with the regrets of "If only I had listened to God" or "If only I had followed His commandments instead of doing things my own way.

I think Eric's mom was intelligent in saying that "Your choices will not only effect yourself; but everyone around you as well". When a teenager decides to commit suicide or a father decides to leave his family, both situations effect more than the person making the decision. It hurts their friends, their spouses, their children. Even the small every day decisions effect those around us. How we react under pressure, what choice of words we use, what clothes we wear effect how our family and even strangers see us. We may be influencing everyone we meet today. If we are listening to God's voice and following His "guidelines", we will make the right choices that will influence others in a positive way.

Remember Eric's mom saying that "A mother who didn't care about her children would not set boundaries. She wouldn't care what happened to her child; but I do about you."? If God didn't care about you, He wouldn't set boundaries for you to follow either! It's because of His love for you, that He asks you to listen to His wisdom. God has and always will know more than we do. Wouldn't we all be much safer if we did follow His list of "Don't do that's..." than to live with the regrets? I earnestly believe so, my friend.