My wife likes to joke that while I’m an Eagle Scout who learned all about preparedness, wilderness survival, and how to MacGyver my way through many projects around the house, I missed out on the stereotype of being the rule follower. Her joking does not mean that I do not follow the rules. It means that I am not a stickler to the legalistic view of life.
King David gave the words in this scripture to his son Solomon as a reminder of the way of life that God called the nation of Israel to live. He knew that—first and foremost—as the king lived his life, so would the people follow in his footsteps. By keeping the Lord’s commandments and following the six hundred thirteen mitzvahs of the Law of Moses, Solomon and all of the Israelites would remain a holy people, a people who knew and grew ever closer to the Almighty. If we read further into the books of First and Second Kings, though, we discover that even Solomon did not do a very good job following his own advice. Later, after the return of the exiles from Babylon, the pendulum swung so far in the opposite direction that a fairly vocal group formed within Judah, whom we know as the Pharisees.
The Pharisees sought to prevent the backsliding of previous generations by ensuring that they followed the Law of Moses to such a legalistic degree that they would become a holy and set-apart people. The Pharisees, though, are often seen as the villains of the Gospels, who ultimately brought about the crucifixion of Christ. Their condemnation was not because Jesus set Himself apart but because He welcomed those persons who most needed to know the love and grace of God.
It is all too easy for us to fall into the trap of legalism when we judge others in their failure to do the right thing. We quietly boast to ourselves that we not only follow the letter of God’s commandments but do so to such an extent that we are better than others. God desires for us to know the mighty act of grace He has given to us and share it with one another as we seek to live into His desire for ALL His people.