The Letter of the Law

We were ending a wonderful vacation, but we had had a stressful morning getting to the airport, struggling through the rental car return process, and navigating unfamiliar signs and systems. We appeared to be settling into our travel groove as we entered the terminal's security pre-check line; we were moving at a decent pace, and we were not pressed for time to reach our gate. Then, my brain kicked into gear.

‘Good. I’m next in line to speak to the TSA agent. I have my ID ready. Wait…where is my boarding pass? I don’t have one. What am I doing here?’

“Next.”

“I don’t think I can get through security, ma’am. My suitcase won’t pass.”

“If it fits within the size limits, it will be fine. And as long as there are no restricted items inside.”

I glanced at the “Does Your Carry-On Meet These Requirements?” measurement stand. My large bag’s dimensions matched the entire stand, not just the measuring tool; it was clearly oversized. “My full-sized shampoo bottles are in there. It won’t pass. I need to take my luggage to check-in. Can I take that open lane back the way I came?” Immediately next to me, the empty space on the other side of the retractable belt barrier had no people in it and looked like the best option for keeping the pre-check line moving smoothly.

“No, you must walk back through the line you are currently in.”

I looked behind me and saw people sandwiched between the belt barriers with the same harried look on their faces that I felt in my body; they were ready to get through security, not to be shoved and jostled as I walked past with my huge suitcase at my heels. I tried to disobey and use the free lane with no people in it.

“MA’AM!!” This came from the same TSA agent and another agent. “You can’t go in that lane.”

This is where I wish the story were different. Well, actually, I wish I had remembered to head to the ticketing counter as soon as I got off the shuttle. I’ve been flying for decades; why I headed straight to security instead of the bag check this morning I’ll never know. But I wish in this moment I had stood up for myself. In jubilant Ralphie fashion (think, “You’ll shoot your eye out!”), I could imagine the crowd cheering me on as I argued that I would be hurting no one but in fact helping others by not trampling over their weary feet. The lane was empty and not being used. An employee had just walked up it headed away from security in the same direction that I wanted to go. There was no logical reason why I couldn’t do the same thing.

But, for some people, when it comes to following the rules, logic has no place.

Such rule-following reminds me of some specific examples within Scripture. One of those involves Rahab, whose story has always fascinated me. A prostitute by trade who is later praised for her deception in hiding Joshua’s spies, this Gentile woman breaks many rules. Her vocation is sinful; she also sins by lying to the messengers who had been sent by the king of Jericho (Joshua 2:1-7). Yet God chooses to protect her and her family, making her part of the physical lineage of Jesus (Matthew 1:5) and adding her to the hero’s hall of faith (Hebrews 11:31). She was not afraid to “break the rules” because she understood the bigger picture involved doing what needed to be done to protect people, especially the people God loves. If we suspend logic when looking at her story, we rigidly proclaim, “Rule-breaker! You must be punished!” Yet God did just the opposite; He blessed her for looking past the rules and seeing His heart for His people.

Other examples of testing the rules involve Jesus Himself. In one instance, as He and the disciples are walking through a grain field on the Sabbath, the disciples begin to pick the grain heads and eat them (Matthew 12:1-8). When the Pharisees accuse the disciples of harvesting (i.e., working) on the Sabbath, Jesus reminds them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). I can just imagine how special the disciples felt as they watched Jesus humble the rule-following bullies of the day. I would have been shouting inside my head, “You tell ‘em!” In another example, Jesus heals a paralyzed man on the Sabbath (John 5:2-17), and the Pharisees again make an accusation against Jesus and the formerly paralyzed man. Sadly, the miracle itself was brushed under the rug!

In these illustrations, the Pharisees thought they were honoring God by following the rules and calling out those who didn't, yet they disregarded the people God made the rules to protect. The Sabbath was originally introduced to provide rest to people who had been slaves in Egypt for centuries, no doubt working every day without a break. Taking a day off was a blessing to them! Yes, God set the example of a Sabbath by resting on the seventh day of creation, and yes, we want to follow God's rules because He uses them to protect us. But the Pharisees (and too often we today) place more focus on the rules than the love of the rule-maker. Jesus saw through the errors of the Pharisees' logic; following rules for rules’ sake ignores the heart of the One who creates rules so we can live more peaceful lives.

When it comes to rules, the reasons why they exist cannot be ignored. Some purposes for rules involve allowing people to live as freely as possible, to function within society, and to have protection. The rules don’t exist merely because we need rules to follow. Andy Stanley explains this concept in humorous fashion. Here is an excerpt from one of his sermons: “Also, like most families ... We did not have children so that there would be someone to keep the rules. ... In other words, we didn't have like some rules, and it was like, ‘Sandra, we got all these great rules. ... We need to have some children so there will be someone to keep the rules.’ So we did not have children so that there would be someone to keep [the rules]. I didn't see anybody writing this down. I thought that was a pretty profound thought.” (“Heaven: Who Goes There?” Part 3: “The Role of Rules,” Nov. 7, 2022 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QE112OidoPw, 0:34-1:08). Too often, we have the perspective that God's rules are what matter most, and keeping them pleases God most, but that is not the Father we serve. Like His other good gifts, His rules reveal His heart in the matter.

Returning to the reality of my incident with the TSA gals, I defaulted to my normal complicit, rule-following persona and sheepishly walked back past the travel weary, apologizing the entire way. I gave in because the price I would have to pay would not be worth the effort; getting on the plane was more important than taking a stand and spending the morning in a security office. Besides, who am I kidding? I’m not yet bold enough to take such a stand. I may never be. But I get to continue my healing journey by reflecting on areas in my life where I’m more like those TSA agents who follow rules without fully understanding what purpose the rules serve. I'm learning that if a rule hurts the people it was meant to protect, something is wrong with my interpretation of that rule.

Lord, help me to see beyond the system–beyond the letter of the law–and through your loving eyes. Help me see how I use rules for my own benefit, often to give myself a sense of security and control. Help me to appreciate your people more than your rules. Amen.