27:41 But striking a
place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the prow stuck fast
and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the violence of
the waves.
42 And the soldiers’
plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim away and escape.
43 But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and
commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to
land, 44 and the rest, some on boards and some on parts of the ship. And so it
was that they all escaped safely to land.
The policy book says that in the event of a shipwreck all
prisoners must be killed to prevent their escape.
The policy book says a person caught in adultery must be
stoned to death.
The policy book says you forgive a person three times and
then they are dead to you.
The policy book says if the person is from Samaria you don't
touch them, you don't talk to them, you don't even make eye contact with
them.
The policy book says if you are black you sit at the back of
the bus. If a white person needs the seat designated for you, you give it to
them.
Policies and rules and cultural norms and
"understandings" are all around us. They vary from place to place and
culture to culture. I am thankful for men and women wise enough, discerning
enough, compassionate enough to know when to ignore the rules for a greater
purpose.
The centurion put a halt to the policy and let every prisoner
go free just to ensure Paul was not killed. It reminds me of a very opposite
story. King Herod had every young boy killed in an attempt to make sure he got
the one Boy killed.
The centurion was moved by respect, admiration, compassion,
even reverence. Herod was moved by hatred, jealousy, insecurity, and
rage.
Both broke the rules.
The truth is sometimes rules must be broken in order for the
rule to be kept. A stop sign exists to save lives. Emergency vehicles ignore
them to save lives. Circumstances change things.
Sometimes we don't understand what God is doing. We can't see
why He permits certain things to happen or isn't fixing things as we think He
should. This much I know for certain. Everything God does and does not do is
motivated by love because He is love. Love is His highest rule. If we could see
and understand as He does we would be thrilled by the choices He makes on our
behalf and on the behalf of those we love. We wouldn't be thrilled because of
the immediate circumstances but by what will ultimately happen when this war
against sin and Satan is over.
God has one policy - Love.
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