“Live by the Rules, Die by the Rules, Nag to Death Those Who Break Them” -Pharisee’s Creed

It felt like sacrilege even writing that title, but it’s the truth: Jesus doesn’t want you to be a rule follower.

Rule: Noun: a prescribed guide for conduct or action

When I think of the word, prescribed, the English teacher in me breaks down the prefix, pre, which means “before” and the root word scribe, which means “to write.” So a rule is something that is written before, or determined, before-hand in order that orderly, acceptable conduct and action will follow it. It is meant to guide behavior.

And what is behavior? Behaviors are the observable actions of a person.

Now, I’ve said this before here, rules are good. It’s not a bad thing to have a rule or a law. The issue is with our condition as human beings. It’s what we become inclined to do when rules are in place. We typically want to break them or we become obsessed with following and enforcing them.

Those of us who want to break rules probably had some issues with overly authoritative, border-line abusive and controlling authority figures who used rules as a way to control us.

Those us who became obsessed with following and enforcing the rules, who are, as my friend Rebecca has beautifully coined it, born hall-monitors, probably saw what happened when people broke rules (they got yelled at or beat) or saw that happened when people lived lawlessly (there was no safety or protection). So we tattooed our neon colored safety sashes across our hearts and determined to live by the rules, die by the rules, and nag to death anyone who would dare break them.

The rule breaker and the rule follower are both deeply flawed and have only a partial understanding about rules. But Jesus’ disciples figured out a golden-nugget of truth about rules from their Radically-Righteous-Rabbi:

Needs over Nagging

At about that time Jesus was walking through some grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began breaking off some heads of grain and eating them. But some Pharisees saw them do it and protested, “Look, your disciples are breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath.” Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He went into the house of God and he and his companions broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. And haven’t you read in the law of Moses that the priests on duty in the Temple may work on the Sabbath? I tell you, there is one here who is even greater than the Temple! But you would not have condemned my innocent disciples if you knew the meaning of this Scripture, ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!” -Matthew 12:1-8

I imagine the Pharisees spying on Jesus and His disciples. Hiding a few stone throws away, with their beady-little eyes peaking above the heads of grain. Nathaniel takes a nibble from his hand and at that moment, they shoot up, standing with their phylactery adorned arms pointing an accusatory finger. “They’re breaking the Sabbath!”

To give context, the law definitely says don’t harvest on the Sabbath. But that meant like to run the whole gamut with sickle and all. The Pharisees had gone ahead and added that even plucking and rubbing the grain between your fingers is harvesting.

Jesus knew this. He knew they were spying on them. He let His disciples break the rule. He even pointed to scripture to show where David also broke the law. Jesus wasn’t concerned about the law being broken in these two instances because the needs of the people were more important than the rule that needed to be followed.

• The Disciples’ hunger was more important
• David’s hunger was more important

Jesus showed the Pharisees that God too is concerned about meeting the needs of His Creation more than He is concerned about every iota of the law, or every rule being obeyed because He cares more about the person than the rule.

It’s why He came. He even broke natural law to meet our needs, but that’s another post for another day.

Jesus wants you to depend on Him, not keep all the rules.

A few years ago, when I was trying to wrap my brain around this whole concept of relationship over rules, God gave me this example, which I’ve since elaborated.

You’re sitting in a room with the author of your favorite self-help book. They’ve given you a million strategies on how to have better relationships, how to live frugally, and how to lose and keep the weight off. They’re sitting in front of you and offer to develop a mentoring relationship with you. You’re elated. They then proceed to tell you, “some of what I’m going to tell you isn’t written in my book, but I want you to trust me anyway.” Your face drops. They’re smiling at you. They extend their hand towards you to hold so you can walk this new mentoring relationship together. But you don’t hold their hand because your hands are glued to the book. The book is good, but an illuminating, breathing, intimate relationship with the one who wrote the book is better.

It’s the same with Jesus.

I love how Jesus says to the Pharisees, “I tell you, there is one here who is even greater than the Temple!” The Pharisees were so worried about keeping God’s law that they missed out on God in the flesh!

How is that even possible? That is such a good question, but that’s another post for another day.

Now, I’m not saying the following:

• Don’t read your Bible
• Don’t follow wisdom
• Break every rule you can think of
• To hell with the law

Nope, that’s not what I mean at all.

What I’m saying is what Jesus said in John 17:3:

And this is the way to have eternal life–to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.

He wants you to know Him. Be intimate with Him. Listen to and for His voice. Understand His heart, His mind, His character. Trust Him. Be filled with and by Him.

And when you think you’re done,

Do it again.

Subsequent posts will give specific strategies on how to do this. Today, I leave you with two book recommendations that can help lead you into the rhythm of intimacy.

Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship with God by Dallas Willard

Dialogue with God: Opening The Door To Two Way Prayer by Mark and Patti Virkler

I’m rooting and praying for you.

Love and Light,

Kourtney Naomi