I watched a group of seven-year-olds today gathered for what appeared to be an end of the school year party. They were full of so much vitality. The energy in the room was electric. One overly zealous parent kept hushing them down and telling them not to run around and jump up and down. It was like gathering a group of children together and telling them not to be children. It was a party. It was a party for seven-year-olds! Why did they have to hush and why couldn’t they run around and jump up and down?
I remembered going to church and hearing about all the things we were not to be doing. Don’t wear jewelry, don’t wear make-up, don’t eat meat, don’t eat sugar, don’t use salt, don’t use mustard, don’t use ketchup, don’t dance, don’t listen to jazz, don’t listen to Elvis, don’t listen to the Beach Boys, don’t eat cheese, don’t wear a wedding ring, don’t go to movies, don’t, don’t, don’t.
Where were the dos? Where was the joy? Idle words were frowned upon; every minute was to be accountable. One felt guilty for laughing or for taking a nap. And we wondered why we couldn’t keep young people in the church. It was like telling ourselves not to be human. I realize I am about to sound like a libertarian, a bad thing in the eyes of the brethren, but whatever happened to everything is lawful as long as it does no harm to another? We never read the verses where Jesus told us what went into our mouths didn’t matter it was what came out. Matthew 15
Verily I say unto you, be happy, be joyful, smile, laugh, be pretty, be generous, be forgiving, be like Jesus.
Written by Roger Bothwell on June 3, 2015
Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org