Tuesday; April 3
The other day I was driving along when a song by Sam Bush began to play. As I listened to the first few lines and read the title, “Play By Your Own Rules” I was all prepared for another anthem of independence from the morays of traditional society – but, by midway through the song I realized this was something different. You see, what the songwriter was encouraging was a break from societal norms that lead to self-serving behavior. Playing by our own rules meant being willing to stand up for what is right (and righteous). The lyrics include the encouragement, “Be a shining light ... be a helping hand ... be a giving heart ... be a patient man”. The point isn’t anarchy or anti-establishmentarianism, it is being free to pursue a life of value. The idea of being our own person has lead a lot of people to lives of extremism – often in directions of seclusion or anti-social behavior – but, there is another way to be different. When we live by the rules of godliness we can find ours