DevoBlogging – Day 31

This is where the rules begin. Certainly there were a few rules before this. Don’t eat that. Make sure you are circumcised. But until now it seems as if a large code of conduct was unnecessary. It looks as though the people are becoming dispassionate. There is starting to be grumblings. The community in exile was not at peace with itself, with their leader, or with God. This journey out of bondage was going to last for a little longer than they might have expected. A few rules would be helpful along the way.

So Moses goes up to the top of the mountain and comes back with what we like to call “TheTen Commandments.” So now the people have a list of rules given by God that if obeyed will help to order their lives in a Godly manner. These first rules as stated in Exodus 20 are sometimes called the “Thou Shalt Nots …” There is certainly a few of those in these first rules. However, I still like what Kinky Friedman (singer-songwriter and lead singer for the Texas Jewboys) called them:  The Top Ten Commandments. After all if we go through scripture and count all of the commands given by God to God’s people you will find that there are 613 commandments. There are of course these “Top Ten” that Moses brought down from the mountain. These ten give us the framework for all the rules that would follow.

Throughout history “The Top Ten” have carried a little extra weight in religious and non-religious circles. These are the rules that speak to a proper ordering of society. These are not onerous laws made to give God more power. They are not even to limit our power. I believe that these rules are God’s way of helping us all deal with our new found freedom from slavery in an appropriate way.

When we look closely at what is offered as “The Top Ten” rules none seem particularly burdensome. It would take the worst kind of reprobate to take issue with: no murder, no  lying, no adultery, take a day off to worship, no idol worship, no using the name of God for ungodly purposes, mind your own business, leave your neighbors business alone, honor your parents, and serve only one God.

If God’s people really did all of these things. I mean took them to heart and lived them as if we believed they were given to make a difference in our life lived together instead of just fighting to put them on display in courthouses around America (graven images; God’s name in vain). We would certainly be doing more to fulfill the spirit of the law.

A few years ago I had a parishioner came to me with a framed copy of “The Ten Commandments.” She asked if the church would receive them as a gift and if we would hang them in a place where folks could see them. I had no strong opinion either way on the matter but I was curious. So I asked her what reason she had for making the offer. She explained that she was watching the news dealing with one the “public displays of ten commandments controversies” and the question was asked, “You want this display on the courthouse grounds. Does your church have them on display there? Wouldn’t that be a more appropriate place?” It seems to me to be a fair question. I assume that that church still has them on display. I also assume that they like all of God’s followers still struggle to adequately incorporate them into their everyday lives.

I offer in closing the lyrics of “The Top Ten Commandments” – Kinky Friedman

Walking on the ragged streets of time
a man is asking if there is a dime
someone can spare.
No one pays him any mind,
but surely someone sees him there a-crying
when no one’s there.
And the washed out whore demands
the bottle in his hands.
Ah, mister, don’t you weep,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   God knows we’ve tried to keep                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                the Golden Rule and the Top Ten Commandments.

You can’t believe the thing you’ve seen
on the midnight TV screen
and nightmare sent by satellite.
Rain fire falling from the skies
a mother holds her baby and cries
and day for us for them is night.
And love is just a word we preach
for who can learn what none will teach.
Ah, people, don’t you weep,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    God knows we’ve tried to keep                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               the Golden Rule and the Top Ten commandments.

And moving across on the city street
a neighbor tried to find his feet
and fell on down and slipped to ruin.
The bystanders are all standing by
watching from corners of their eyes
wondering what on earth can he be doing.

With a faith nobody shared
and a love nobody dared
Oh, Mary, don’t you weep,
someday we’ll learn to keep
the Golden Rule and the Top Ten Commandments.