Gleaning and Playing Monopoly

Dictionary.com defines "glean" in a few different ways. I'm going to combine two similar definitions to fit into my thought process for today. Glean: To collect or gather anything, to learn, discover or find out usually little by little or slowly.

From the first day that I stepped into my CBS (Community Bible Study) class, the word "glean" has frequently popped into my head. From these amazing women, I glean. Each day that I am there I absorb so much wisdom and knowledge from their minds and hearts. So as I looked up the word "glean" I agreed with most of it, except the "little by little or slowly" part. The women impart a LOT of wisdom, but it is also somewhat true due to the fact that I can be rather thick skulled and sometimes knowledge does not seep through so easily.

This morning was no different than the days prior. I gleaned much from the incredible hearts of these women! One bit of wisdom that I walked away with was this: You can't play Monopoly with Yahtzee rules!

Shocking- I know.

Back in the day, there was a really big set of rules and regulations that the peeps had to follow. They were rather cumbersome to say the least, but they were there for a reason. God knows what he's doing and he had the rules there for guidance and to teach his people. Somewhat like a parent does. The rules aren't always easy or fun, but they are in place to protect us.

Someone said today that it's like a fenced yard for a child. Not that you can't climb over the fence when you're told to stay in, you sure can, but when a parent tells a child to stay in the yard, it's usually for good reason. Maybe they live near open water or a busy street. When the child is older they can usually leave the confines of the yard to go ride their bike, walk to a friend's home and to explore this great big world.

And so it was, just like that, when Christ came. He came that we might have LIFE!

Colossians 2:13-15 says,

"When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave your sins, having cancelled the written code, with it's regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross."

Jesus busted open the gates of the fence so that we could have life to the full! So we could go out and explore the wide open world. To have freedom to go, knowing the fullness of God's love and forgiveness of our sinful nature!

We mess up. Daily. Hourly. By the moment. But Christ took that junk to the cross with him. We do not need to hang on to our bags of garbage anymore. Let them go, because Jesus tells us to. He tells us to hand them over, for he has already paid the price of our sin. Why do we continue to go back to our trash heaps? Why are we slow learners? Christ came to set us free from trying so hard to be good enough. We will never be good enough on our own, that's the simple fact of the matter. Being a good person won't be your ticket to ride. We can only be redeemed through the blood and sacrifice of Jesus- believing that he is Lord and Savior.

Of course I don't think that we should throw out all the laws! That would be foolish. We are still not to put other gods before God. We are still not to murder. We are still not to covet. You get the point. BUT! When we do screw up, we can know that forgiveness is just a prayer away.

So let's go back to Yahtzee vs. Monopoly. Yahtzee= old laws and commands. Monopoly= freedom in Christ and forgiveness of sins! Yippee! Let's say "so long" to the old self, the old laws, and "heyoooo!" to new life in Christ. Let's try not to play Monopoly with Yahtzee rules, it just won't work.