Ever break a rule?

     I take my daughter to school most mornings and I pick her up most afternoons. During my morning drive around the parking lot at the school I notice that not everyone follows the traffic route the school has established. For the safety of the students that drive the school puts up a roadblock to prevent traffic from traveling directly to the drop off zone. This prevents two way traffic for the students to cross after parking. Instead of driving directly to the drop off zone you are supposed to travel up the first line of the parking lot and all away around the parking lot so that you come down to the school down the last row of the parking lot. You then head to the drop off zone. This longer path helps keep traffic moving and also puts the passenger side door facing the school so the students can get out without having to cross any traffic. It seems that this long pattern is inconvenient for many people dropping students off. They by pass the road block creating two way traffic or they choose to drive down one of the other lines. After all that 30 seconds it takes to drive all the way around the parking lot could make then late for work.
     I have observed similar behaver in the afternoons. It has been said many times not to cut through the empty parking spaces but to follow the traffic pattern around the parking lot. This keeps traffic moving, makes it safer for the students going to the cars and keeps people from running into each other because of poor visibility from trying to cut through parked cars. Everyday I see people who decide the rules do not apply to them and they cut through the empty parking spaces. At least once a week I see somebody have to hit their brakes hard to avoid one of the line cutters or the line cutter themselves having to hit their breaks to avoid striking a student who didn't see them cutting. Each time I shake my head and wonder why people can't just follow the rules.
     Rule breaking doesn't just happen in school pickup/drop-off lines. It happens everywhere. I think everyone has been in the express line behind someone with a buggy holding 3 or 4 times the amount of 12 items or less. What about the no cell phone rules in movies? How many times during a movie can you look out and see the glow of a cell phone somewhere in the theater. You can look at the sides of the roads and see how well people obey the "do not litter" law. The one that burns me up the most is when you are entering an auditorium or any event with first come first served seating and the no saving seats announcement has been made over and over again but yet you cannot find a seat because people are saving seats.
     Before we go any farther I have a confession to make. I am a rule breaker too. I follow the traffic

pattern like I am supposed to do in the mornings but I let my daughter out in front of the band room which is outside of the drop off zone. On the way to the office I broke a couple of rules. I drove by a 35 mph sign doing, well, more than 35 mph. I also didn't come to a complete stop at a stop sign. I have more than once cut off the tag on the mattress that says do not remove. I know I am quit the rebel. Now, I have been honest what about you? How many rules or laws have your broke today? If we are all honest we break rules and laws everyday. Most of us go above the speed limit every time we drive and thank nothing of it until one of our good friends with blue lights reminds us of the speed limit. Don't get made at them. They are doing their job, you are the one breaking the law.
   

     What is worse than us breaking rules and laws is the attitude in which we do it. We think that the rule is silly so we don't think we have to do it. We find something that makes us feel justified to break it. We think it applies to others but not us. We think that it is something so small it doesn't matter. We do it only on a rare occasion. We are in a hurry. All of these things boil down to one thing, not respecting those in authority who wrote the rule or law. We can say what we want but that is the truth weather we like it or not. We may not say it or think it but our actions show it. Some of you are asking what the big deal is because I haven't talked about "major" law breaking like murder or stealing or serving tofu bacon. Well, it is a big deal because of what we find in God's Word.

                               ¹³ Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, ¹⁴ or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. ¹⁵ For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. I Peter 2:13-15 (NIV)

     We are to follow the rules of man for God's sake. So that others cannot point fingers at us and say, "Their a Christian and they don't follow the rules." or "What's the difference between me and a Christians? We both break rules." As Christians we are to live our lives as an example of God in everything we do even the little things. If our attitude about little rules and laws is disrespectful, how long before that attitude grows to bigger rules and laws? Then what? If the rule doesn't go against what God says then it is to be followed. If we like it or not is not a factor in the decision to follow it. How convenient it is doesn't matter either. Is it easy to follow all the rules? No, as I said I broke some on the way to the office today and as I wrote this blog I had to confess that to God. Since it seems impossible do we just not try? NO! Having the mind of Christ means we know we will never be perfect but we strive to be as close as we can. We need to start with the small things. So count the items in your buggy before entering the express lane, follow the traffic patterns and pay attention to those mph signs.


Parting Thought: The proper way to prepare Tofu in 5 easy steps: 1- Open Tofu 2- Open trash can 3- Insert Tofu into trash can 4- Close trash can 5- Order Pizza