Umbrella Laws

Ali and I went out to Mom’s today to visit for a while. On the interstate on the way, I saw several cop cars with tractor trailers pulled over, and several more policemen staked out. I figured that they had received a tip that there would be drug shipments down that stretch of highway today, as has happened before.

Which started this whole long rabbit trail of thoughts in my head. Apparently Ali was quite entertained with her sunglasses and gummies (or “yummies” as she calls them) for me to get this far down the track with my train of thoughts, but here goes.

I started off thinking about the drug tipster. What made them want to tip off the police? What was their motivation? They must have really felt strongly about it to risk their lives by turning in drug traffickers.

Then I thought – wait – maybe not. Why do I assume all drug traffickers are also violent and vindictive? Couldn’t there be some peaceful druglords out there?

So I then started thinking about why drugs and violence go together, and it hit me – of course – because they are doing an illegal operation (trafficking drugs) – it’s not like they can call the cops and complain if someone wrongs them. Like, say, stealing drugs, or double crossing them and turning them in.

So because they are breaking one law, they are in effect taking themselves out from under the protection of the police and find themselves in situations where they feel as though they HAVE to play “police” for themselves.

Which leads to revenge. And guns. And violence. And murder.

These people may have started out as peaceful people who happened to find themselves dealing a little drugs on the side to only find themselves a few years later as full blown murderers, because of the fast track that they put themselves on by breaking ONE law.

Then I thought about how this applies to the Christian life as well. How many times have I made one “small” wrong decision, and in doing so had to make worse decisions to “fix it” or cover it up? It was quite convicting. God reminded me point blank that:

When we remove ourselves from God’s umbrella of protection and blessing, we open ourselves up to the dangers of the world and to feeling like we have to take things into our own hands. This can be a very quick, slippery slope of worse and worse sins until we find ourselves somewhere that we never imagined that we would end up.

God’s laws are given to us for our own good – they are guidelines on how to live life the BEST way.

It’s not about living life the “righteous” way.

It’s not a checklist so that we can say we’re good little boys and girls.

They all make sense and make life “work”. They are for our good, for our blessing, and for our protection. When we ignore them, we automatically remove ourselves from the covering of God’s protection and open ourselves up to greater sin and greater danger.

How many God-following girls have made a mistake that ultimately led them to an abortion clinic, about to do something that they thought they would never do – all in an attempt to “fix” or “cover up” the problems caused by stepping out of God’s umbrella?

How many God-following men have handled their family’s money unwisely, and in desperation have made the decision to embezzle money to try and “fix” their problem?

These are just a couple of examples that I could think of that illustrate how one “smaller” sin can lead to multiple “greater” sins as we try to play “police”, or worse, play God.

The good news is that although the government may not be “forgiving” to drug dealers who turn themselves in, God is always forgiving to sinners who “turn themselves in” – when we come to Him in repentance. That doesn’t mean that our consequences will be erased, but we will be back under His umbrella. And we are forgiven. AND we have His help, protection, peace, mercy, love, and blessing to aid us in dealing with those consequences, and with making the right choices the next time around.