By the book, mister!

I ran into a legalist the other day. The experience made me angry. I was trying to get rid of a pile of limbs that had been building in my backyard for years. We were hoping to make a bonfire out of them, but we could never catch the wind and rain just right. I pulled up to the scales at the dump, presented a city utility bill, and received the legalistic reply. “We can’t take this. It’s for a church, and we consider that a business. You’ll have to pay the $40 dump fee.” My protests were to no avail. I paid the fee and angrily threw the limbs as directed, at a space in the landfill. I roiled in anger, but there was nothing I could do. You can’t fight city hall.

The Catholic Church has its legalists, too. A grieving couple could not hold a funeral in church for their infant child, who had died before a priest could come and administer last rites. The parish priest said something could be worked out, but it would cost the family $3,000. This story was reported by Pope Francis himself, who shook his head (We of course would remind the Pope that Jesus pronounced all children safe in Matthew 19:14 “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and hinder them not, for of such is the kingdom of God.”).

Legalists are annoying, wherever you encounter them. Jesus upbraided the scribes who challenged his hungry disciples for doing what they had a perfect right to do—pick heads of grain by the roadside and eat them. “If you had known what this means,” He reminded His legalist accusers, “I will have mercy and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the guiltless.”

Legalists insist that every “i” be dotted and every “t” be crossed before they will act in righteousness and compassion. This angers Jesus, who spoke thus to legalists: “You have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness.” —Matthew 23:23.

Look at the legalistic Pharisee, and don’t be that guy. Sometimes common sense says do the right thing. Work out the details later.