When are self-imposed boundaries misleading or negative?
Isaiah 29:13So the Lord says, “These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.”
Luke 11:42“What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.”
A preoccupation with our self-imposed boundaries can lead to pride and cause us to lose sight of God’s essential commands. The Pharisees made rules about tithing even the herbs from their gardens, yet they forgot about the importance of showing gratitude to God and of caring for the poor and the elderly—the true purposes behind God’s command to tithe.
Romans 14:1-4Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval.
God’s Word is clear on many things, but there are some issues where sincere believers may draw different boundary lines. For instance, is it okay for a believer to watch a movie about difficult content or themes? Does that church raffle encourage gambling, or is it a fun way to raise money for a good cause? These questions matter, but in such situations, the heart behind our actions may matter more than our actions themselves. God warns us against looking down on other believers whose consciences may weigh in differently on particular issues.
Romans 14:14-15I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong. And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it.
1 Corinthians 10:33I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.
God’s Word clearly gives certain rules that we must live by. But God also asks us to refrain from doing things that can harm another person’s conscience, even when our own consciences remain clean. For instance, an activity that doesn’t cause a problem for us (such as drinking alcohol) could cross a dangerous boundary for our friend who is a recovering alcoholic. We should be willing to place boundaries even around our own freedom for the good of others.
Romans 12:2Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
If we try to set boundaries without reference to God’s boundaries, we will merely imitate the arbitrary boundaries of our culture or society. Applying God’s boundaries to our personal situations takes discernment and discipline. However, as we learn to reflect God’s character, his boundaries will feel more and more natural to us.
Ecclesiastes 11:4Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.
Perfectionism can be a barrier to our actions when it becomes a source of procrastination and fear. In our fallen world, conditions are rarely perfect. If our personal boundaries become so limiting that we reject God’s call for us to act, then our pursuit of holiness misses the point.
Matthew 7:1-2“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.”
Acts 15:10“So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear?”
Jesus’ words in Matthew 7 are often used wrongly by those who don’t want to be judged at all, but read properly, they mean we shouldn’t try to impose boundaries and expectations on other people that we are not willing or able to live by ourselves.
James 2:1-4How can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others? For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well, doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives?
The prejudiced boundaries we use to evaluate other people are often unjust, inaccurate, and self-serving. Too often, we follow such boundaries without questioning our motives.
Leviticus 19:33-34“Do not take advantage of foreigners who live among you in your land. Treat them like native-born Israelites, and love them as you love yourself. Remember that you were once foreigners living in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”
John 4:7-9Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”
James 1:27Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.
Because people often discriminate against those who are simply unlike themselves, the world is a lonely place for many. Ask God to help you be receptive and caring toward those outside your circle.
