Keep the rules

Strict orders (3:12)

Am I alone in being attracted to the flouting of petty rules? Those sad little 'no turning in the drive' notices make me itch for a reason to do a u-turn. And those seemingly endless 'do not touch', 'do not walk', 'do not park' 'do not look' (?) notices you get in city parks and streets produce new ambitions I never knew I had.

It makes me realise that, when it comes to rules, most of us need to know the why in order to keep them properly. That's why the 70 mph motorway speed limit is so often flouted. On some motorways it is too fast for safety, but on an empty road in a modern car it is too restrictive. The why is arbitrary and deep down we all know it.

So why does Jesus silence those he heals. Is it to avoid even bigger crowds? Possibly but the secret seems to be out. It is more likely to be who they would tell and how those people would use it. He does not want the authorities to have a reason to destroy him, or to misuse those he has healed. He will walk to crucifixion in his own time and at the risk of no one else but himself. Sometimes rules are there for our safety and the safety of others. Now that's a really good reason to keep them.