Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“For ‘no human being will be justified in his sight’ by deeds prescribed by the law.”
NL Daily Devotion for Wednesday, May 10, 2023
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
I was a rule-follower as a kid. Not just because I wanted to do what was right, although I like to think there was a little of that in there. But my primary motivator was a terror of getting in trouble. Maybe it was because in the 70s it was still somewhat common practice to subject children to incredible shame when they broke rules in school, as happened to me in the first grade when I was caught talking and made to stand up in front of the class. Honestly, I am still a little traumatized by that.
The problem with being a rule follower is that we can easily lose sight of actual justice. We live in such fear of the law that we become unwilling to stand up and speak out when the law is blatantly unjust and entire groups of people are being victimized and oppressed by it. I have friends who have willingly been arrested for civil disobedience. I honestly don’t know if I could do it, for which I am a little ashamed.
Paul’s understanding of Jesus’ action in the world is one of liberation from the law. It’s a proclamation that our value and our righteousness cannot possibly come from being a rule follower. Therefore, since we know we do not have to earn our value in God’s eyes, we can boldly stand up and proclaim a gospel of justice in the face of those with money and power and privilege who make the rules to benefit themselves at the expense of others. Many of us do. More of us could. The need is great.
Do I consider myself a rule-follower or am I comfortable defying rules in the service of justice?
