Boundaries Bring Freedom
Wales is a hiker's paradise, with meandering paths that often lead through sprawling sheep pastures. These wide, open spaces are Tess's absolute delight. Her little legs stretch to their full capacity as she bounds through the lush green fields, her nose twitching with excitement at each new scent.
However, I've noticed something curious about her behavior. When we walk in areas with no clear boundaries, like pastures with broken fences or open access to the road, Tess becomes my shadow. She practically glues herself to my ankles, occasionally glancing up as if to say, "Just making sure you're still there, Mum." Her anxiety is palpable as she trots along, refusing to stray more than a few feet away.
The transformation occurs when we enter well-fenced pastures. Once Tess sees those secure boundaries in place, she becomes a different dog altogether. Suddenly, she's racing in wide circles, investigating every interesting rock and blade of grass, pausing only to check that Jason and I are still within her sightline. She's joyful, uninhibited, and clearly enjoying her "freedom."
It struck me one afternoon as I watched her galloping through a securely fenced meadow. The boundaries weren't restricting her; they were liberating her. The clear limits gave her the confidence to explore without fear.
Isn't that precisely how God's commandments work in our lives? The world tells us that God's laws are restrictive, that they diminish our freedom and enjoyment. But Tess' behavior suggests something entirely different.
When God establishes boundaries in Scripture, He's not being a cosmic killjoy. He's creating secure parameters where we can thrive without fear. Within His wise boundaries, we find true freedom, not the anxious, looking-over-your-shoulder kind of existence that comes from living without limits.
David understood this paradox when he wrote, "And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts" (Psalm 119:45). Walking in God's precepts (His boundaries) is what brings liberty, not restriction.
Consider the Ten Commandments. Each one protects us from harm and creates space for abundant living. "Thou shalt not steal" creates a society where we can trust one another. "Honour thy father and thy mother" establishes healthy family dynamics. Each commandment is like a fence post in the pasture of life, not confining us but rather defining the safe space where we can flourish.
Just as Tess finds her greatest joy running within secure boundaries, we find our deepest fulfillment living within God's wise parameters. His boundaries don't diminish our freedom. Instead, they define the space where true freedom can exist.
So the next time you're tempted to view God's commandments as restrictive, remember my little terrier joyfully racing through a fenced pasture, experiencing more freedom because of those very boundaries.