Romans 13, part 1 - Live Blameless

I hate driving the speed limit, especially when I am in a hurry. It gets me all frustrated. But I do me best to obey the law and go the stupid 15 miles per hour down the street I go on almost every other day. Why? Because I know there are cops usually sitting around at the end of it....nope... I don't have to worry about being pulled over because I am not breaking the law. Don't get me wrong I like to drive fast to get to some where fast; but I know that there are rules and they are for my good.

Romans 13:1-7 Talks about obeying those in authority over us...even when we don't like it so much or even agree with them. God has placed people in authority for our good. As Christians we need to have the right attitude toward them even if we have a hard time with them ...even the IRS. Ugh!

(side note...There is a time when we choosing God's rule over certain issues will cause us to be disobedient or not follow certain people in authority who want us to sin that would be the only exception to this; for example the story of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego found in Daniel three.)

I love the last part of this portion of scripture....

⁷ Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Paul is really getting down to the heart of the matter, our attitudes. If we are truly Christ followers we will even show respect to every person in authority over us ...even the traffic police. Really at the heart of my speeding issues is a bad attitude...I didn't prepare so I am running late...so I think I need to speed to get there on time and forget the laws and endanger people on the road...because what I am doing is more important than anything else....Ouch! If we are truly honest, TRULY honest, with ourselves we will find selfishness and pride lurking some where in our in our attitude with what we might struggle with.

The cool thing about obeying the laws and rules that are placed for my benefit is that I get all the benefits. I don't have to worry ever about the cops parked in their secret places; because I am not doing anything wrong. I reap the benefits of others following the laws and rules; I don't like getting hit by reckless drivers....it hurts. I think you see where I am going with all this....

Live blameless and

GET JOY!