And we're wrong more often than we think

"In those days, Israel had no king.

Everyone did what was right in his own eyes"

Judges 21:25

This was a circumstance with which Israel was familiar.  They had never had a king, and did not have one until they demanded one of Samuel, so Saul was anointed to satisfy their demands.  But this line ~ written twice in the book of Judges ~ is significant because it tells us that even God was not their king.  And I began imagining the consequences of the following situations:

There was no parent,

         and every child did what was right in his own eyes...

There was no boss,

         and every employee did what was right in his own eyes...

There was no teacher,

         and every student did what was right in his own eyes...

There was no master,

         and every servant did what was right in his own eyes...

There was no police,

         and every citizen did what was right in his own eyes...

There was no director,

         and every actor did what was right in his own eyes...

There was no shepherd,

         and every sheep did what was right in his own eyes...

Putting it a different way enables me to visualize life without authority.  In my head, I get a vivid picture of a classroom out of control; a city of looting and rioting; a play that no one would want to see…

I recently explained to my Amazing Boy the three branches of our country's government:  Legislative ~ those who create the laws; Executive ~ those who enforce the laws, and Judicial ~ those who define and apply the laws and ascertain their fairness.  This system of checks and balances works well because flawed humans compensate for other flawed humans, making the system as fair as possible for all of us flawed humans. 

God needs no such system of checks and balances.  He is the Legislative Branch, creating perfect and fair laws.  He is the Executive Branch, well aware of when we are in disobedience to the Law.  He is the Judicial Branch, overseeing consequences or mercy.  He is all three branches – because He is the Vine!

The Book of Judges enables us to see the consequences ~ which can be very far-reaching ~ of everyone doing what is right in their own eyes.

~ "He is the Rock, His work is perfect;

For all His ways are justice.

A God of truth and without injustice;

Righteous and upright is He" ~

Deuteronomy 32:4

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