Last Sunday after church, I mentioned to my husband that I needed to stop at Target to pick up a bag of chocolate chips. I wanted to make cookies for a new neighbor who had moved in three houses up the street. But I stopped mid-sentence as I explained my plans to Brad. “Oh,” I said. “I’m not supposed to shop or work on the Sabbath. So stopping at Target and baking cookies breaks the Sabbath. Twice.” [I’ve been practicing keeping the Sabbath for about five months now, and my “rules” include no shopping, no writing, no technology and no housework]
“That’s not breaking the Sabbath,” Brad answered as walked across the parking lot to the car. “Remember what Jesus did? He broke the Sabbath when he healed the man’s hand. He was making a point about helping and healing being more important than following all the rules. Doing something nice for someone isn’t breaking the Sabbath.”
I thought about what Brad said for a few minutes. I know it was only a bag of Tollhouse chips and a mixing bowl of dough, but it felt a little risky to me, breaking the Sabbath to bake. I’m a rule follower, you see. Rules keep me on the right path. They’re black and white. You’re never surprised if you know the rules. Rule-following might be boring, it might be routine. But scary? Unknown? Unexpected? Never. You know what’s coming when you follow the rules.
What I realized though, as I stood in the church parking lot with the keys in my hand, was that Jesus wasn’t ruled by the black-and-white. Jesus was a radical rule-breaker. He befriended the outcasts. He ate with the sinners. He healed on the Sabbath. Jesus was far less concerned about rules than he was about love. For Jesus, love decided everything. Love was the bottom line.
So I stopped at Target and bought the chocolate chips. And later that evening Noah and I walked up the street to the white bungalow with the empty boxes piled at the end of the driveway. We stood on the front porch and rang the doorbell, and when the young woman answered, we handed over a paper plate of cookies still warm from the oven. We welcomed her to the neighborhood with a plate piled high with love.
“For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law – I stopped trying to meet all its requirements – so that I might live for God.” (Galatians 2:19)
Questions for Reflection:
Are you a rule-follower or a rule-breaker? Have you ever broken a rule – Sabbath or other – in favor of acting in loving kindness? What’s one rule you might break this week in order to help, heal or love someone else?
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“A plate piled high with love” — I LOVE that, Michelle!
I’m less of a rule-follower than I used to be…I can think of a friend who would chuckle at that since I’m more of one than she is.
Balance, balance…that’s the key. Just hard to find. But I say err on the side of love!
It comes down to balance a lot, doesn’t it? Maybe that’s why I have so much trouble — balancing is not my forte!
i’m a rule-follower in that i don’t want to upset the people who issued the rules. if no one will know or i issued the rule myself, then i am much more likely to break it!
Ha! Love it – thanks for your honesty, Kendal.
Sigh. I’m a rule-follower, too. But I’m learning to break them more and more for the right cause. Brad steered you well. I tried to keep a Sabbath each weekend in April, and it took me 4 Sundays before I finally felt like I got it “right.” Now I hope to keep up some of the habits. You inspire me, Michelle!
I hardly ever get Sabbath “right,” and I’ve been trying for months now. I am SO restless by nature. It’s hard for me to lean into it and relax, especially with my boys around. They are always looking for something to do. Yesterday I did manage a 15-minute nap though – that’s a rarity!
I like the idea of intentionally seeking a Sabbath rest the way you have been, Michelle, it is something we as a people have so removed ourselves from acknowledging and suffer for the lack. I also want chocolate chip cookies now. Sigh. 😉
They were pretty good, I admit. We saved half the batch for ourselves. And this weekend i made a lemon cake, all for us – I am on a rare baking streak!
Yes Michelle! His greatest commandment, LOVE! Jesus is my kind of crazy love! Thank you for the beautiful way you wove this story together and reminded us that he was also a rule breaker.
Hugs,
Kelly
Love this, Michelle. Yay for breaking a rule for the sake of love. :>)
I am reminded of an emergency leak in a roof on a Sunday, and my husband was called in to help repair it. When I showed up at church, just me and the kids, one of our friends asked me, “Where is Bob today?” I said, “He is helping pull a donkey out of a ditch.” I always one to speak in parables. That was a Good Sabboth job making your new neighbor happy.
Love this story, Hazel – Robert is such a good guy!
Michelle, I could really relate to what you have said here. I too am a rule-follower – I have to quash my guilt and nervousness when I take my own snacks into a cinema!
I’m working on revising my Sabbath at the moment and understand completely how it can feel risky, like you’ll somehow undo everything you’ve built over the last few months.
I loved what you have shared here and the wisdom that your husband helped you to see that the Gospel is about a heart attitude rather than rules, as we are saved by grace not any amount of rule-keeping ourselves.
I love your heart for the Sabbath and hope to journey with you in a balance of rest and restoration. Blessings.
Oh my gosh, I get the total movie snack guilt, too! 🙂 🙂
There are a lot of things I won’t do on Sunday but making cookies for a neighbor would be a good thing to do. I lik the example that Jesus set; it keeps the perspective on rule keeping.
Thanks Michehe for hosting.
Dear Michelle
Oh, I am proud if you. Remember where Paul told us not to let anyone condemn us for not keeping certain days or months, new moon feasts or the Sabbath. It is either law or grace. These two never mix. God’s love through us is what it is all about!
Blessings and a great week.
Mia
Yes, there’s always risk in freedom, I think that’s why we so often seem to prefer slavery – even to the law – over the freedom Christ offers. How lovely for you to make this transition into a deeper sense of sabbath – resting in the goodness of God that allows you to creatively give and receive love.
I’m a rule-follower learning that rules are not as important as relationships and that to break a rule for love can be just what the relationship needs.
“For Jesus, love decided everything. Love was the bottom line.” ~ I love this!
I seem to remember reading something like…”The Sabbath was not made for man, but man for the Sabbath.” You are on the right track.
Yes, yes, indeed – I think that’s in the Bible somewhere, JoAnne! {though don’t ask me exactly where…}
Hi Michelle….EXCELLENT Monday post, as always! ‘Rules’ (seem only to) serve to frustrate me, as I cannot keep them. The things I know to do, I do not do….. Brad was right. The ‘law’ of the Sabbath is Love. And Love you showed to your new neighbour. What a blessing! Thanks, Michelle.
I also have to add, Michelle, that yours are the best words, the most freeing words I’ve recently read on the subject of Sabbath. Christ has set us free from the law of sin and death, amen?
Thank you for this sweetness, Jillie – you are so very kind.
I am a total rule breaker, and I love that you made the cookies. Freedom!
wow. at the risk of standing alone, i will confess it: i am a rule-breaker.
always have been. i think it might have to do with the fact that one of my strengths is ‘strategy’ – so to get past some rule or see the way around the one-dimensional words just thrills me with an lovely affection. i used to think this was a bad thing, and i’d try to change it about myself. but then i realized Jesus was quite an independent thinker, too. he didn’t follow the status quo or step in line with the ants marching. he stood alone.
that gives me great courage.
what a wonderful post, Michelle. and thanks for a good, provocative question.
I love that you’re a rule-breaker, Kelli – I admire you even more for it. I kind of wish I was. I blame my drill sergeant dad – there just wasn’t any rule-breaking going on in my house growing up!
The example I like to use with my class is that of a self-employed mechanic. If he decides to keep his shop open on Sunday, that’s working on the Sabbath. But if he sees someone who broke down and stops to help them on the side of the road on Sunday, that’s being Christ-like. Thanks for the great post & for hosting, & God bless!
You know what? That is the perfect example, Laurie – thank you for so simply but masterfully illustrating that for me!
I am definitely a rule follower, and my husband is most certainly a rule breaker. It makes for a lot of fun around our house… 🙂
Loved this post. Thanks for the reminder to be lead by love for others, not expectations or self imposed rules.
I love me some black & white rule definition! Great perspective here, Michelle. It’s something I need to remember often. Give yourself a hug! Michelle
wow you really got a ton of comments on this post. I too am a rule follower most of the time. You are so right though following Jesus’s example is the better way, not such human made up rule. I guess asking myself What is the most loving things I could do right now? may help too.
Thought provoking post, Michelle!
So much goodness in what you’ve shared. From a desire to spread love, sharing between you and your husband, to delivering the cookies. A pleasure to read. Thank you, Michelle.
Michelle, I’m so glad you shared this with me, I love it. You know how to tell a good story and make me think. And . . .I just happened to make chocolate chip cookies before I sat down to read it. Love the serendipity, so of course, I had to share it. Love you!