Let’s Break Some Rules

The other day, I blogged about a brave young man who got in trouble for mentioning Jesus in his graduation speech. Now, I’m pretty sure Jesus was up there clapping for him. Why? Because Jesus was the ultimate rule breaker. Not the “Thou shalt nots,” but the rules made by the hypocrites.

I remember being 15 when my dad died just before Christmas. I told a friend, “You’re so lucky. You still have your dad.” I broke the rule of “grin and bear it,” but can you blame me? I’d lost my dad. Then, a friend who understood my pain hugged me and said, “Time helps. It doesn’t heal, but it helps.” She broke the rule of “let her figure it out herself.” Her compassion taught me to be there for others facing loss.

Jesus’ followers are described as “the body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:27). We’re His hands and feet on earth. We break the rule of “keep to yourself” by sharing with those in need. When we help others, we’re serving Jesus. His promise is clear: “As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40).

Jesus wasn’t about following the crowd. He broke the rules to show love and compassion. He healed on the Sabbath, visited a tax collector’s home, forgave a woman caught in adultery, and allowed another woman to wash His feet with her tears and hair. He even turned water into wine and raised the dead. Jesus didn’t stay dead either, breaking the biggest rule of all. He integrated into the lives of those who were hurting. That’s our call too.

Our world is full of divisions. Haters gonna hate, lovers gonna love. Jesus broke the rules of segregation with His love. Our spirituality isn’t measured by what we do on Sunday but by what we do every day of the week.

Look at Mother Teresa. She broke plenty of rules to bring light to her world. She saw Jesus in every person she served. She said, “I see Jesus in every human being. I say to myself, ‘This is hungry Jesus, I must feed Him. This is sick Jesus. I must wash Him and tend to Him. I serve because I love Jesus.’” Her legacy lives on, with her order, the Missionaries of Charity, serving in 120 countries.

If Jesus is God-with-us and the best example of how we should live, then maybe, just maybe, we’re all called to break a few rules. In doing so, we might just break the chains that have held us back for too long. Amen?