The yellow line

“All that passing laws against sin did was produce more lawbreakers. But sin didn't, and doesn't, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. When it's sin versus grace, grace wins hands down. All sin can do is threaten us with death, and that's the end of it. Grace, because God is putting everything together again through the Messiah, invites us into life—a life that goes on and on and on, world without end.” Romans 5:20 (The Message)

As I was driving to work yesterday I came to a bend in the road, a narrow curbed stretch of road which I have navigated hundreds of times. When I go through the curve with no other cars around barely notice the curve, but when there is another car coming toward me, there is an instant when I wonder will they stay on “their side.”

That double yellow line placed there by city ordinance represents the law; you stay on your side, I’ll stay on my side. It is not much of a safety barrier. I think sometimes drivers cross it just because they can. There is nothing overly intimidating about that line. Yellow lines are like laws, they don’t stop misbehavior, and in fact sometime laws themselves encourage defiance of the law.

We can’t fully rely on any law for our security. The only real protection we have against harmful acts of each other is a mutual love for and respect of one another. Without those optional acts of “grace” all the laws in the world aren’t going to protect us, they are just good ideas in words, paper and paint. This mirrors the observations of Paul as he differentiated the Laws of Moses, Gods prohibition against sinful behavior and God’s new covenant, Grace given in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus as the ultimate protection from the wages of sin , death (Romans 6:23.) That is protection which lasts for an eternity.

Bless you brothers, live this day in peace, in His Word.