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January 13, 2009
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=========================== TODAY'S ARTICLE ==========================
Beyond the Call of Duty, by Rubel Shelly
When you hear of someone being "above the law" or "above the rules,"
what comes to mind? Perhaps the person who cut in front of you in
traffic; she must think she owns the road. Maybe the white-collar
crooks who poked holes in your retirement; they knew the rules about
insider trading and honest bookkeeping but simply decided to violate
them. Yes, there are people who break laws and breach the canons of
ethics. They don't care who gets hurt. They're only looking out for
themselves.
But, there is another way of being "above the rules." One can function
at a level higher than the rules demand. Maybe we'd say "above and
beyond" or "going beyond the call of duty." The person who borrows your
car to run a quick errand fills a near-empty gas tank before bringing
it back. A stranger stops to help when you are stranded beside the
highway. You put a quarter in a parking meter for the car next to yours
because you see the time has expired.
You can spot the difference between the two attitudes a mile away. The
former won't help with rush or crisis situations at work because "it's
not in my job description." The latter never bats an eye about pitching
in or staying late because the good of the company trumps convenience
and protectiveness.
Couples determined to work things out by the rules of fair play are a
counselor's nightmare. She doesn't think she's getting what she
deserves. He is convinced he is doing everything anybody could expect.
So the battle over rights and duties, expectations and demands is on.
Few couples wind up in that same office or in divorce court when he is
looking for ways to surprise her with kindness -- only to be outdone by
her creativity in showing how much she loves him.
Jesus was above the rules.
Churches are afflicted with the same problem. The term is "legalism"
for trying to fix, place, and set in order by laws. Its opposite is not
liberalism but "grace." By the rules of time and place, Jesus should
not have prepared food on the Sabbath or stood in the way of a mob
intent on stoning a woman who had been caught "in the very act" of
adultery.
Jesus was above the rules. He wasn't arrogant, self-centered, and
willing to break the laws of heaven or earth. But he knew that law's
higher purpose was always to protect, empower, and love people. Thus he
associated with, showed kindness to, and made disciples of people who
had been rejected by most.
We must guard against making the rules hateful by losing sight of
people.
For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: "Love
your neighbor as yourself" (Galatians 5:14 TNIV).
---------
(c) 2009 Used by permission. From Rubel Shelly <rshelly@rc.edu>'s
"FAX of Life" printed each Tuesday. See Faith Matters for
previous issues of the "FAX of Life."
RELATED LINKS:
* What Difference Would it Make?
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200806/20080613_difference.html
* A Rose by Any Other Name Might be ... Jim
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200710/20071025_jim.html
* Who is My Neighbor?
http://www.heartlight.org/feature/sf_980325_neighbor.html
* RubelShelly.com
http://www.rubelshelly.com/
This article can be found on the web at:
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200901/20090113_beyondcall.html
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