Have you ever “expanded the parameters of your promise”? That’s how one TV politician explained his actions when caught in a lie. Of course no real politician would use it, but it’s a great line that describes what they do when they don't keep their word. When they realize their promise was too narrow and required too much they take the words they said and expand their meaning to give themselves more room to move. In other words – they lie! Regardless of what they initially meant, or the recipients understood, they unilaterally change the meaning to serve their own purposes. When they do it they may feel bad, but in the end it’s ok because they needed the flexibility. But let their opponent do it and they’re just a low down, dirty dog liar.

The beginning of the end for Saul was when he “expanded the parameters of his promise” with respect to obeying God. At his coronation in 1 Samuel 12 Saul, along with the nation, had promised to obey God, but when things got tight Saul found flexibility in that promise and unilaterally changed the meaning to serve his own purpose. Of course since he had the noblest intentions it was ok – at least to his way of thinking. He had to do it his way instead of God's way. (1 Samuel 13:11-12). Samuel said it was foolish and cost Saul his kingdom as a result (1 Samuel 13:13-14). And so it goes today for far too many of us non-politicians.

In today's Morning Minutes in the Bible on Traditional Tuesday let’s consider some ways we “expand the parameters of our promise” with respect to keeping Gods’ word. Is the simple bread and juice too confining for the Lord’s Supper even though that’s what Jesus said we should eat (1 Corinthians 11:17-34)? Is water baptism too demanding even though Jesus (Mark 16:16) and the apostles (Acts 2:38 and in many other places) commanded it? Is one man and one woman sharing themselves only with each other for life unfair even though it was God’s plan from the beginning (Matthew 19:3-9)? Those are just three examples of God's commands people find too confining: where our traditions call for doing things differently than God authorizes. There are many, many, more we could list.

We can call it “expanding the parameters” all we want, but God has another word for it: rebellion, and every rebellion arises out of a lie, either to someone else or to ourselves. And the biggest lie is when we tell ourselves “It's okay, God won't mind at all.” Yes he does. And not even the parameters of his grace can expand enough to let us live in rebellion.