Hey! Put those dishes in the dishwasher! It’s a rule in our house, and everyone is expected to follow it. Whether you live here or not, after dinner everyone helps to clear the table. I’m Dad to a couple of great teenagers, and they frequently bring friends over for dinner. What I’ve noticed is that a lot of our repeat dinner guests don’t seem to mind this task. In fact, they act like they enjoy it! After dinner we all take different jobs, scraping plates, rinsing, loading, all chatting and laughing while we “follow the rule.” Why? I’m convinced it’s because they’ve gone from feeling like guests to feeling like family.

That’s what Paul is getting at. Because of Jesus, born as one of us but redeemer of all of us, we’re freed from the burden of religious law. Should we still “follow the rules?” Of course! But now we do it joyfully because we aren’t just rule followers. We’re family. Hey, sister! Help me with the dishes!

By Bill Buchanan