“For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves.” (I Peter 2:16)
We are all slaves to something. We all give our allegiance to something or someone. Were you aware of that? We all live by some set of rules. The question is whose rules are they? When I reflect on my life, I realize that most of my life has been spent living with boundaries that are set by rules. When I was child, the rules were my parents. Years of schooling brought a new set of rules from teachers. When I get in my car, I have a set of rules I need to follow while driving. Ever notice when you enter a contest, apply for a new credit card, or play a game there are rules to follow? Humans need boundaries. Therefore, we need rules. Rules keep us on the right path, the safe road.
We need rules and boundaries because we get in trouble when we start living, acting, conducting ourselves with our human reasoning. The Old Testament book of Judges, chapter 17:4-5, gives us the story of the mother of a man named Micah who took 200 silver coins and gave them to a silversmith so he could turn them into an idol. Micah then set up a shrine for the idol, and made his son his personal priest. Why would a Hebrew who was supposed to follow Israel’s God do such a thing? Verse 6 of that chapter gives us the answer. “In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.”
Left to ourselves, with no boundaries, rules, or regulations; we will inevitably end up doing something sinful, foolish, wrong, or stupid. God never intended for us to be free to just throw caution to the wind and do whatever scheme, plan or strategy popped into our brain. God designed us to submit to him, and live by obeying his directions and boundaries.
If we do not submit to God, we will replace him with someone or something else. Usually that means we will do “whatever seems right in our own eyes.” That makes us very foolish. Proverbs 1:7 tells us, “Fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 12:15 says, “The way of fools seems right to them.”
Obviously, it doesn’t take much for us to be enslaved to something or someone that can bring great harm to us. That is why Peter wrote in our verse today, “You are free, yet you are God’s slaves.” In verse 13 of this chapter, Peter wrote, “submit yourselves to every human authority.”
So here’s the bottom line. Kids need to obey their parent’s rules, students need to follow rules in their classrooms, and we need to respect the rules of the road. But when it comes to our ultimate loyalty and obedience, we need to give it to the One who gives us life.
Darlene