It made me think.
Humans make the rules, and they themselves complicate matters when they go to severe extremes. I find it quite ironic actually.
It was Gandhi, ironically, one person inspired by Tolstoy's works who actually said this:
“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”
-Mahatma Gandhi
It made me really think and wonder why he would have said what he said. One may discount these words were it to be a layman or a common passerby, but by one of the world's greatest thinkers and peace advocates, it must say a lot, doesn't it?
Along the way, have we become overly bounded by rules, stifled by stigmas and tied down by culture that we have forgotten about the freedom of choice and the joy of loving the Lord with our hearts, minds and souls? Even Jesus himself summarised the whole Commandmants to be two: to love God, and to love people.
It seems simple, isn't it? But attaining it does seem to be tough.
Along the way, as people forget that we are people who are learning to love and continual work in progress, we put in certain rules and guidelines that otherwise justify the way we are supposed to love. And hence, the general guidelines that Paul says love should be in 1 Corinthians 13 become extrapolated to become a suffocating set of rules that have good intentions, but implicit conformity.
Of course, people may say that the Bible too gave specific examples of love? "And this is love, that we will lay our lives down for another". That is an ideal level of love, which I am believing will be the ideal state that we hope to achieve. Truth is... when the tyre meets the road? How many of us will be able to say that?
I am inclined to believe, as a linguist and looking at culture and context, there aren't too many situations where we will lay our lives down for others.
In today's context, there are many other ways where we can "lay our lives" down for our brothers and sisters. Supporting them in times of need and sadness, helping them when they need it, and giving that ever comforting touch or encouragement when they need it.
And yet, there is also a loophole.
If you had to make a choice to lay your life down for two people at the same time, which would you choose? The one you are closer to, or the one you are not so close to?
Do the rules state it?
Of course not.
Then people will put in rules, and in different cultures, the rules would change.
In other words, rules are good, but people who put in a rule for everything under the sun border on two different categories: those that want to always be in control, and those that want to always be sure they are doing right. The question then, is, who is right?
Perhaps someone can give me some insight into this. Because I for one am starting to question what I am living for if I were to follow all the rules and regulations that are put in place because of human fallacy. Or should I sarcastically say, people who aim for ideals and forget that humans are fallible.