When (the Trivially) Wrong Is Right...

I broke the rules, but I didn't do anything wrong. So, why do I feel kinda guilty?

Here's the thing. We have this municipal parking lot where you get a ticket when you go in and then when you leave you stop at a little booth to pay your fee. The first half hour is free and then it goes up in quarter increments (okay, this isn't the biggest town in Western PA, okay?). So, I'm only in there like 20 minutes but when I stop at the little booth, it's locked up. Now what do I do with my little ticket? The RULES say I have to turn it in...but, I don't owe anything...um...

So, it was a really little moment in my otherwise fascinating and exciting life - but as I was pulling away clutching the ticket I felt...weird. You know, I didn't do anything wrong...but I broke the rules...

And I wonder if Jesus ever felt that way when he healed on the Sabbath. Okay, maybe that's a bad example because Jesus is...well...GOD. So, how about Peter and John. Do you think those guys - brought up to hold the Sabbath as absolutely a holy day dedicated to the Lord (if they were brought up that way - I mean, the Pharisees probably had SOME influence, right?) - well, do you suppose that if just felt wrong to heal on the Sabbath?

How about the first ultra conservative (name your denomination here) who went to a Disney movie on Sunday? GASP!!!! Or the first woman to wear pants in church? Heh - I know...silly 'ol bear....

Okay - so those might be frivolous events (but, remember, this was pretty much INSPIRED by a frivolous event - but I digress). Do you suppose Luther paused before pounding the nail on the Wittenburg Door (unique magazine, too, by the way)? And...what else?

I don't know. I won't mow my grass on Sunday. Not because it doesn't need done, but because I know that if I do I'll be breaking some wierd "rule" and I'll hear about it. I try, when I can, to choose my battles and the not mowing on Sunday one just isn't worth it. I got questioned once about doing that kind of work for someone else on a Sunday - now there's a hill I'll die on.

Of course, I probably over analyze everything...

Oh well - it's Friday...

Comments

Brett Probert said…
Excellent thoughts!!!! Great analogy!
5:48 AM
Randy Roda said…
I have many back issues of the Wittenburg Door and they are hilarious! Glad to know someone else out there knows about it.
9:47 AM
Greg Cox said…
Last week, I went through the self check out at Giant Eagle. Very chaotic moments led us to bag our groceries and proceed to walk out of the store. It wasn't until I was to the car that I realized that I hadn't paid yet. So, I had to run back into the store. Luckily, the machine was still barking orders for someone to pay. I did, and then walked out of the store as quickly as possible.
2:12 PM
Jeff Kahl said…
I never thought about it quite like that, but honestly, I over-analyze those kinds of decisions as well. Living by grace ain't as easy as it seems..............
8:44 PM
Jeff Kahl said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
8:44 PM
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