Happy Riches Answer requested by Aaron Boutilier
Happy Riches Answer requested by Aaron Boutilier
The Ten Commandments do not exist so people can attend to score-keeping, so at the end of each year every violation can be tallied and compared with others to see who broke the most or who didn’t break any.
Maybe this is fiction, but there is a story about people actually having a yearly competition to see who broke the most of the Ten Commandments. I suppose we ought to have some pity for the man who decided to go on a killing rampage and murdered 365 friends, so they he could win the contest. As it turned out, they were all he had. After he murdered the last one at the end of the year, there was no one with whom to compare who had broken the most commandments.
When people want to know information such as how many did you have or how much do you have, this is what one expects of someone who is inwardly insecure or envious or vain. Such individuals think along the lines of big, bigger and biggest; tall, taller, tallest. Balloons always burst when blown too hard. So much for competition. Here’s the tip: enjoy the party, but go easy on the balloons.
As for the Ten Commandments, seriously, I do not purposefully set out to violate any of them. The First Commandment tells me Who God is, and since I have a relationship with Him, it is not my intention to rupture that relationship. Therefore, the next five commandments I keep automatically.
As for the one dealing with murder, I do not hate anybody, let alone desire to murder another—so no violation there. The commandment dealing with adultery, succumbing to temptation is not something I do—so no violation there. Taking thoughts captive and discarding them is not same as having an intention. When it comes to bearing false witness against my neighbor, I do not seek to do this—no known violation there. As for coveting my neighbor’s possessions, this is not something I have any need to do—so no violation there.
However, although I may not violate any of the Ten Commandments intentionally, there is the possibility that I may unwittingly commit a sin of commission by not doing what I know is right to do because I was bewildered by too many distractions or felt a little lethargic. There is also the possibility that I may unintentionally commit a sin of omission by overlooking things when caught up in the moment.
For instance, I could have stolen something by taking goods without permission because it was convenient to do, say a napkin off another table in a restaurant—even placed it my pocket and taken it home. Then I may have told a joke that could have been perceived by someone else as a false witness. I may have caused someone to think evil of me because I opened my mouth too soon and came across as impolite, and unintentionally fracture a relationship.
Once I was boorish, churlish and coarse, with sadist tendencies. I also had a hateful, murderous heart that was full of pride. When the day came that I become aware of the futility of being born only to suffer then die, having walked through the door of salvation with the precious blood of the Lamb cleansing me as I did, I learnt how to enjoy partaking of the fellowship meal with the Father and the Son. Since, this time, my desires to root, shoot and execute whatever, whomever, whenever I thought to do so, have abated. Consequently, my relationship with our Heavenly Father has been one of greater appreciation for His loving kindness. As the Father sees the best in me, I am learning to see the best in others more often and have become less resentful and volatile than I was before having been reconciled through the atonement made by His Son Lord Jesus Christ.
Whether I broke any of the Ten Commandments during the last year, I am not sure. If I did break any of the Ten Commandments, these would have been unintentional violations. Self-righteousness is not something I seek, rather I acknowledge my many foibles and thank God that His mercy extends to someone such as myself.
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