I wonder how much some things really matter. For example, while riding my bike home from school today, I ran several STOP signs in my neighborhood. Yet, on of our Articles of Faith states that "We believe in . . . obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law." I have a moral responsibility to obey the secular law, including all traffic laws, even when riding a bike. But does God really care about that? Does it bother Him when I run a STOP sign or ride my bike across a crosswalk instead of walking it? There are dozens of minor laws that many people break frequently, like jaywalking. Does God really care that we do that?
Maybe He does, as a matter of principle. It's not just that He wants us to obey the law; He wants us to respect it. Maybe He mostly just wants us to show that we can live under authority and obey non-evil rules, even when they don't seem to make a lot of sense. God's laws sometimes seem pointless and arbitrary, yet our salvation depends on keeping them. Perhaps He asks us to keep the laws of the land as well for the purpose of helping us not get too comfortable with the idea of breaking rules and doing whatever we want.
In light of this, maybe I should respect traffic rules more from now on, not because I think they're important, but because I think it's important to develop good habits and attitudes. I want to have a good attitude about God's laws. Maybe I should develop that by respecting traffic laws as well.
1 comment:
Ah, you have hit on one of my weaknesses. I always obey traffic lights, but stop signs? I always look to see if it's safe, but I don't stop if it is, especially at the bottom of a hill. Oh, phooey. I suppose Jesus would.
Post a Comment