I hate traffic lights. They seem to spend most of their time turning red, especially when I've left just a little late to get somewhere.
A long run of green lights is rare. It did happen the other day on Erin Mills Parkway, nothbound from the QEW. It was as we approached Thomas St when I realized it had been such a quick run because the lights were all green. Of course, as soon as I thought it, you guessed it... the next one was an amber, the one after that red.
Not long ago, I was stopped at a red light. A sign noted no right turn on red. There was a car in the right turn lane, patiently waiting for the light to change so he could proceed. Yet the driver in the car behind him was leaning on the horn, likely thinking and perhaps saying “Why isn’t this idiot turning?” Um, no. That wasn’t me, at least not this time.
Why do we need so many traffic lights anyway? Why do we need so many laws?
After the Israelites left Egypt and went through the Red Sea, God called Moses up on to Mt. Sinai, into the cloud that hid the presence of God. There Moses received the Ten Commandments, scribed by the very hand of God. In addition, God gave a comprehensive set of laws for the people to live by.
Exodus 21:1 These are the laws you are to set before them...
Why?
God chose the people of Israel to be His people, set apart as an example of how people can live in community together. In an anarchistic world where people mistreated even abused each other, God gave a set of rules to show the people how to relate to God and how to treat each other... husbands & wives, slaves, widows, orphans, animals... how to build a compassionate society in a brutally harsh world.
This was contrary to the self-centred focus of the day. The law spelled out in detail: it’s not about you - it’s about God, and others. Here's how you live it.
Thousands of years later, in a modern, "civil" society, have we evolved to be better? Do we need less laws, or more?
It seems more and more laws are coming into effect every year. It’s paradoxical that in our world of abundance, we seem increasingly focused on our own interests regardless of how others might be impacted. The more we have, the more we want, the more we hoard, the angrier we get when someone gets in our way. And we need more laws to protect ourselves from each other.
Much after Moses, Jesus would sum up all the law in two commandments: love God with all you are, and love your neighbour as yourself. That’s it. Simple.
If we all lived by these principles, our society wouldn’t need so many laws. Let me not wait for others, though - I can make a difference in my circles of influence by living according to these principles, as an example of how to live life to the full by loving God, and loving others. Maybe others will follow suit, making the community, nation and world a better place.
