Imet a delightful woman named Mummy Charlie, who has raised a dozen or so foster children. These youngsters were assigned to her by the courts, and she gave them a home with stability, guidance and love. She told me that every time a new child arrived, the first order of business was to explain ‘Mummy’s Rules’. These included behavioural standards, plus chores that would provide much needed help in the busy household while teaching good standards of living to children with little previous training.

Some of the children may have recoiled at Mummy’s Rules, thinking they were robbing them of fun or pleasure—yet nothing would be further from the truth. Those standards allowed for an orderly household where both Mummy and the children could find life enjoyable and peaceful.

Similarly, some look at the standards God set forth in the Bible as obstacles that prevent us from enjoying life. However, the boundaries God places actually protect us from our selfishness and foster healthy responses to Him.

In Ephesians 4, for example, Paul provides some guidance for how we are to live. As we live by these and other loving instructions from God, we find protection and the opportunity for true, lasting joy.

Author

Bill Crowder

Topics

Our Daily Bread