House Rules (03/19/2026)

One of my favorite memories from family gatherings over the years with the multiple generations included the afternoon my newly adult grandchildren gathered together to correct my younger grandchildren who were jumping on the sofa. The adults stopped the youngsters and then I heard “the rule” – “use things according to the purpose for which they were created.”

The young adults took time to patiently stop the youngsters before one of them or the nearby furniture and accessories were harmed. They cited a house rule, quite well I might add. Then they explained that the sofas were created for sitting on not jumping on. And amazingly, the youngsters looked at the young adults and quit!

That incident took me back many years to when my own children were youngsters and got in trouble for things like using the wheel of an exercise bike to stress test the strength of a glass mayonnaise jar. And I recalled times with the young adult grandchildren when I had to remind them that living room pillows were not weapons and that knives were not meant to be projectiles. Every family needs a few simple house rules to maintain order.

We tried to keep the house rules to a minimum. We also tried to make them simple. Another example of a house rule was “the cook never does the dishes.” I must admit that was one of my favorites. The three kids learned early to help with kitchen clean up after dinner. And to this day, when we all get together, when dinner is over, I get lost because as the cook, dishes are not my problem.

My favorite of all is “love one another.” I must admit, it wasn’t original. I borrowed it from our LORD’s “house rules” because it fit. It was short. It was memorable. It could be quoted easily. It is short but ironically broad reaching. And it united us together and made us stronger. It was originally one of only two rules, but we humans frequently think more is better. Sometimes, though, it’s just more. If we could keep the LORD’s two great rules not just in our minds but in our lives as guides, it would truly be a different world. Love the LORD with all your being and strength and love one another as yourself.

As we continue our Lenten journeys, let us consider the LORD’s simple solution – love. Let us consider where we are – in the presence of the LORD no matter what. And let us seek to abide by the LORD’s house rules of love this day and all days.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.