As children we were conditioned to obey. When we were told to do something, our parents expected us to do it. Make your bed. Behave. Do your homework. But we did not always obey. That meant there would be consequences. Some came from our parents. Others came just because we didn’t do what we were told to do. For example, if we didn’t do our homework, we might get scolded, but we also had to expect a lower grade.

That lesson was important for us to carry later into life. If we did not do what we were expected to do on the job, the consequences would come. More seriously, if we do not obey the laws, fines and prison loom as punishment. So we learned to obey, but we also learned how to avoid getting caught for disobedience or to do the minimum to get by.

For just a moment—that’s all I have in this space—imagine the obedience of Jesus. First, understand who he is: God, equal to the Father and the Holy Spirit. He created the world together with the Father and the Spirit and is not subject to laws, commands, or expectations. He is perfect in every way and needs no reminders or directions.

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Author: John A. Braun
Volume 108, Number 9
Issue: September 2021

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