Lawyering

 36 "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?"

37 [Jesus] said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind."

38 This is the greatest and first commandment.

39 And a second is like it: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. -Matthew 22:36-40

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
   And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy    and to walk humbly with your God.-Micah 6:8


We're all lawyers when it comes to our own lives.  We can excuse, justify, argue for, rationalize and validate anything we have done wrong.  Give us a set a rules and we can give a million reasons why they shouldn't pertain to ourselves.  Yes, we all do it.  When we are running late we don't feel like the speed limit pertains to us... and don't even get me started on the dozens of reasons I've heard from North Carolina drivers who don't use their turn signals!  (Okay... sorry... I have bad driving habits too).


We can excuse away a "white" lie, or "borrowing" office supplies.  We rationalize our gossip as "concern."  And we justify keeping the extra 5 or 10 dollars the cashier mistakenly gave us in our change.  It is easy to lawyer our way out of specific rules, laws and commandments.  


But there are a few verses in the Bible that give us a lot less wiggle room.  It's because they have to do with the spirit of the law rather than the letter of the law.  You just can't argue with your heart. The verses above gather up the 10 commandments and a host of other wrongs and boil them down into how to live them all very simply.  "Love God, and love one another." and "Act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with the Lord your God." 


These verses didn't say to point out when others are failing at doing these things, but to do them ourselves.  We all know in our hearts when our actions show love for God and for one another and we we are be just, merciful and humble.  We may still try to validate our failings, but we always know.  And God always knows.  


We are going to fail.  A lot.  But rather than try to lawyer our way out, give it to God.  We can't shock him.  He knows we are going to fail... that's why he sent Jesus.  


Father,
Help me not to make excuses for my sin, but to bring it to your feet each and every day.  Help me to love you and others a little more fully today.  Help me to be fair, merciful and humble today.  Amen.


Joys:  Richard coming home tonight; a productive day off yesterday; great coffee