Fleeing from the Law

So I have a pretty close friend in the hospital.  She is young and had been there for a couple months now.  I visit her 2-3 times a week and am usually there anywhere from 2-6 hours at a time.  There are a myriad of reasons why I go, some noble and some selfish, but it was always a pleasure to visit her.  Even when she was doing very poorly and didn't really make any sense when she spoke I enjoyed our time together.  That was until last night.

A friend of the family called around to people who visited a lot and asked us to sign up for weekly time slots so that the family could have some planned rest and a regular-ish schedule.  My shift is Thursday nights from 6:30-10pm.  Last night was my first "shift" with her.  I arrived 15 minutes late and left 15 minutes early. 

Requirements and restrictions only breed lawlessness and rebellion.  I am convinced of this.  So many believe that Christians should be purveyors of morality and good living.  I say hang it all and let people live.  Let them come experience the grace of God in the face of their sin and see what they do.  People have a pretty good sense of what they need to do and if they aren't doing it, it isn't because they don't know any better, it's because they can't.  More clarity on the rules isn't going to help.

There is so much fear over what people would do if the Church really offered freedom.  How people would take the grace of God and treat it as if it were cheap and meaningless.  I can't speak for everyone, but I can say this...last week you couldn't hold me back from that small hospital room on 12 North and now I just think about how I have to go next Thursday.  I am not a better person for it.  Let's give freedom a try.