Mountain Musings: His Commands

 

³ For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. I John 5:3 English Standard Version

               “I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! I wish I was back in Russia,” yelled my youngest son fists clenched at his sides, eyes wild and staring at me defiantly.

               I was not surprised by his outburst. I’d expected it. We’d adopted him from far eastern Russia, on the Sino-Russian border. He was four and a half when we adopted him. I’d always wondered what adoption was like for him. We swooped in and met him one day, went to court, came back the next, and whisked him away to an entirely new life. No one asked him if he wanted to go. Everyone assumed that belonging to a family was better than life as an orphan in a Russian institution; but, the change must have been radically jolting.

               Suddenly he found himself part of a family, living in a new country where no one spoke his language. While the new warm clothes and steady supply of peanut-butter-n-jelly sandwiches must have been nice, the new rules and expectations cramped his style. Instead of living as one of many warehoused and largely ignored, he had a brother and sister. He also had parents who required certain behaviors and did  not accept others. I imagine the list of things acceptable and unacceptable was daunting. His vehement rejection of our standards brought great chaos into our lives for a couple of years. But loving him, we hung in there and eventually he started complying…at least in a way that was normal for a rambunctious young boy. He did not understand that our rules were designed to create an environment that enable him to grow and thrive. From his standpoint, all the rules restricted his behavior, limiting his personal expression, killing his fun; much like we view God’s commandments for our lives.

               Sometimes we develop an image of God as the great killjoy in the sky; someone who wants to quash our personality and squeeze the joy out of our lives. Lacking trust, we view His commandments as onerous. In our pride, we forget that He created us, loves us, and wants what’s best for us. Like my youngest son, all we see are the constraints on our desires. We think living in the chaos and squalor of the pigpen is better, not realizing the His commands lead us to a better, fuller existence, and relationship. Walking in the same irresponsible path as Adam and Eve, we pridefully bite into the apple of our own will and then express great bewilderment and dismay when things turn out poorly. We assume that we know better, and like my son disdain the ideas and guidance that lead to a pleasant lifestyle which will enable us to grow and thrive. We do not understand that His commands spring from His love.

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple… Psalm 19:7 I think we mistakenly limit our understanding of God’s commandments to the Law of Moses. God wants us to live in a fashion that not only enables relationship, but also allows us to thrive. Once, like my youngest son, we grow in our trust we find God’s plan for how to live our lives enables us to live to the fullest. Sadly, we miss His intent. We stand there, fists clenched in rebellion, refusing to submit to Him, crying out, “I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!”

Returning to that long ago fall day in Ohio. “Well son, I understand why you hate me. I’m the guy who tells you what you can and cannot do. That’s my job as a parent. Oh and by the way, I hate to tell you this, but adoption is a one way street. There’s no going back. You are stuck with me. So you might as well strap on, because on I’m not going away and the rules are not changing.”

He sighed dejectedly and stomped off to his room seething. But we persisted; me in setting and enforcing the rules, and he in growing while still periodically pushing the boundaries. I’m glad to report that he’s grown into a fine young man who has pursued a career which serves the Lord and is generous in heart. In short, he’s thriving. Of course, he no longer lives under my roof and sets his own rules, but I’m proud of the man he is…just as I hope God is somehow proud of me.