God Can Give You WisdomSample

Wisdom Loves Boundaries

Stop and do an experiment inside your mind. This experiment will take some imagination, so prepare yourself. 

Imagine that rules are suddenly removed from the planet. No rules. At all. 

No bedtimes. No rules about how many cookies you can eat in a day. No one can tell you to be quiet, stop running, stop playing, stop anything! 

What would that be like? Well, it might be great for a while. 

But—aren’t some rules meant to keep you safe? Watch this video for more on that. 

Okay, yeah. A go-cart on the highway might sound fun in the moment, but not so fun when a gigantic 18-wheeler is about to barrel right over you! Not. Safe. And certainly not fun anymore! 

It turns out that rules for life are a lot like the boundaries on a go-cart track. The boundaries actually are there to help a go-carter have more fun, not less! They keep the go-cart on the track so the driver can have as much fun as possible. The rules God gives you for wise living are also meant to help you enjoy life as much as possible. They keep you safer, healthier, and better able to enjoy life than if you didn’t have God’s wise limits teaching you that enough really is enough! And that more isn’t always better. 

God’s wise rules are always about showing love—to God, others, and yourself. He teaches and corrects because He loves you. God’s love is kind. And God’s love protects. 

Ask yourself: If I could get rid of one rule I’ve been asked to follow, which rule would I quit? What would happen if I didn’t have that rule? How might that rule help me to stay safe or healthy?  

Challenge yourself: Write down three rules. Any three rules you can think of, but they should be three rules you have to follow most days. Now, write down one way each of those rules helps keep you or others safe and healthy. 

Pray: God, thank You that You don’t just create rules for me to follow because You’re trying to prove that You’re in charge. You give me rules as boundaries to help me stay safe. Even though there are some rules I might not like to follow, I trust that You will use them to help me walk in safety and grow in wisdom. In Jesus’ name, amen.