Be a Good Little Do-Bee

" I followed all of the rules, man's and God's. And you, you followed none of them. And they all loved you more. Samuel, Father, and my... even my own wife." Alfred (at his wife's funeral in Legends of the Fall, played by Aidan Quinn)  

I saw this film at a time in my life when I was struggling with my personal identity, and these lines struck me in the core of my being.
I began to weep.

---

A transformation began to take place in that moment that continues to this day.
It reminds me of the passage in Hebrews 12:27: "This phrase, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of things that are shaken--that is, things that have been made--in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain." (ESV)
The transformation in my life since that moment has mostly involved the shaking and removing of things that were not right.

I'm not speaking of sin, of doing wrong, as the things that are not right.

I am speaking more of being wrong. Being wrong about a lot of things. I had been "right" most of my life.

I did right. I believed right. I taught right. I lived right. I was right.

I even quipped on occasion, "Of course I'm right. I'm always right. If you don't believe me, just ask me." While that was meant to evoke a smile, I eventually came to realize that I actually believed that to be true.

(Can you say 'hubris?')

That arrogance, of course, was one of the things that tumbled as a result of the shaking. And, yes, arrogance is 'wrong.'

It is that kind of "rightness" that so many Christians possess and display for those who are not yet believers, that makes belief all but impossible for most.

We are taught from a very early age to do right, have good character, obey the rules, stay out of trouble. And, while that may appear to be appropriate for maintaining an orderly household with children, it can have devastating consequences later in life.

How does one learn to be led by the spirit if one has only learned to obey the rules? (Rom. 8:14)

How does one learn to live by the spirit if one has only learned to follow what they are told? (Gal. 5:25)

[Please notice that I have intentionally NOT capitalized the word "spirit." That is something to think about.]

Actually, it is a choice. You can only have one or the other. There is no middle ground. Sort of like where Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters." (Matt. 6:24, ESV)

Jesus was not talking about what is legal. He was talking about what is possible.

It is not possible to serve two masters.

It is not possible to walk in the spirit and follow the rules at the same time.

A person walking in and by the spirit MAY, at times, follow the rules; but that is not their focus nor their intended purpose. Following the rules may be a by-product of walking by the spirit.

So also may breaking the rules.

As I looked back over my life, I realized that many of the times when I got in trouble, when I displeased someone, were the times I was following the spirit. But, I needed to be "reined in", to "come under authority", or else I would be labeled a rebel.

So, I was torn.

I couldn't understand what was going on.

I didn't want to be a rebel. I wanted to be liked. I wanted to be needed. I wanted to fit in.

So, I learned to follow the rules.

The rules made me a rebel against God.

Not my intention. It was a by-product.

All I had ever wanted was to be pleasing to the Lord. The last thing I wanted to be was a rebel against God.

How devastating to discover that is exactly what I was doing by keeping my focus on right and wrong!

The Lord has graciously been removing from my life the things that keep me from living by the spirit.

I am experiencing a freedom that many of my colleagues say is taking me away from God.

I have never felt closer to the Lord.

Comments, questions, and/or criticisms are welcome