Easier Simple Rules

Easier Simple Rules

I am writing this on Friday morning following the sudden announcement of new regulations for people in the northern parts of the UK.  As people are reeling from the lack of advance notice, and quickly changing their plans to comply with the new regulations, interviews with local people quite often express a wish that the rules could be made more simple.

While that would be desirable, the task of simplifying them is  itself complex.  In this current situation, the latest rule changes are designed both to keep people safe and to avoid a complete lockdown.  They have also been introduced because of apparent failures to comply with social distancing, though this may have been complicated by housing issues in some places.  Where I live it is impressive how most people in the small town respectfully step aside to allow others sufficient safe space.  At the same time, I still see groups of young people carelessly moving around in small mobs.  Would they behave differently, I wonder, if someone in their peer group was struggling to survive or had already lost the battle?

Interestingly, the Bible has something to say on the topic of keeping the rules simple.  In the times of Jesus on earth, the Pharisees had a reputation for creating complexity regarding the Law of Moses and how this was to be interpreted.  Matthew 22:37-40 and Luke 10:25-37 record similar incidents where Jesus was asked to provide clarity in understanding the Law.  On both occasions Jesus points to the simple summary, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind... and love your neighbour as yourself”

In the account in Luke, the answer Jesus provided to his question failed to satisfy the enquirer.  Clearly insufficient detail for a lawyer!  He sought greater clarification, which then led to possibly the best known of all the parables Jesus told.  We know it as the Parable of the Good Samaritan.  In the story, two men who could have been expected to act with compassion towards a badly injured man, especially because of their familiarity with the law, passed by the injured man with no offer of help.  One even came for a closer look, but still passed by.

Then a man who might not have been expected to act with compassion, did so at considerable personal cost.  At last, the lawyer got the point.  We too are expected to get the point, but sometimes sermons develop the allegory beyond usefulness, and we can miss its fundamental purpose.  It is a simple story to illustrate the effectiveness of the shorthand version of the Law of Moses.

On the issue of loving your neighbours as you love yourself.  I wonder whether the rules for managing the Covid-19 virus could be simplified to respect the needs of others for protection as if you yourself were highly vulnerable and likely to die from this disease if you were to catch it.  I am sure that the majority of teenagers do not understand what it means to be “asymptomatic” and a risk to others.  If they did understand they would surely modify their careless behaviour.  What is clear is that alongside all the work of medical scientists, doctors and nurses, the ‘great British public’ could help enormously if we loved our neighbours as ourselves.  Now that’s a simple rule we should all be capable of understanding.

As is often the case, there is a punchline we need to note in Luke 10:37 “Go and do likewise”!

Items for praise and prayer

We are delighted to tell you that Lowenna, the five year old granddaughter of our Chairman, who a few weeks ago was in a life or death situation resulting from a bleed on her brain, is now making consistent progress.  She is more able to sit and stand unaided for short periods, tried to demonstrate ballet moves to the nurses, is managing some colouring, and there are signs of speech returning. Please keep all the family in your prayers.

We receive many encouraging comments from those who have been attending the online services and Bible studies we run each week.  Some who have been attending are now going back to their church buildings, or following more local online services.  We believe there remains a need, and plan to continue these.  Click here to go to our website where you will find details and links.  You are very welcome to join us and to invite others.

Rural Mission Solutions has a need to grow the core team.  This could be done either by someone exploring a call to Christian ministry or someone with experience but sufficient time to take on at least part time work.  This is so important that I considered suggesting periods of prayer with fasting.  We are looking for someone with a love for Jesus, a sense of a call from God, an interest in rural life, and possibly technical abilities.  Please feel free to pass this information to anyone you think might be interested.  Meanwhile please pray earnestly.

Please give thanks for those who have used the link at the foot of our Praise & Prayer News in order to help us to keep going.  

Please pray for wisdom as we seek to reshape our information and training webinars and videos to fit the new situation as we come out of lockdown.

Please stay safe and stay blessed.