By Katy Mariotti

Fulfilled by Love

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities.  For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”
Romans 13:1 English Standard Version

The item in the picture today is called a “water wiggler,” and I took this picture while crying.  A back story: on our recent vacation to Washington DC we visited the Air and Space Museum, which my children loved.  My 8-year-old son, having been given vacation spending money by his grandparents, spent a rather long time perusing the gift shop looking for just the right thing (and that Air and Space gift shop is no joke: three stories!)  He finally decided on this toy, which he called a “can’t hold it,” and gleefully played with it the rest of vacation.

Tragedy struck when it was time to fly home.  We got to the airport and when going through security, my son’s backpack was flagged to be searched.  Lo and behold, there was the toy, full of liquid and definitely over the allowed 3.4 oz.  We ended up having to leave it at the airport and my son was devastated.  I was devastated for him.  And I felt angry.  Angry at myself for not paying attention to what was in his bag.  Angry at the TSA for taking a toy from a little boy who definitely had no plans to blow up the plane.  Angry at the original criminals who caused the rule to be created in the first place.  Angry that there isn’t a better law in place that doesn’t make billions of people annually pay for the crimes of a few.

Sometimes rules and laws don’t seem to make sense.  But to live in a society in which we can all be safe and live together, they’re necessary.  And as stated in the book of Romans, we are called to follow the law and submit to governing authorities.  Even when it’s hard.

If you read a little further, however, there’s another important part of this chapter.

“For the commandments, “You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”
Romans 13:9-10, ESV

Do you know what happened after my son’s toy was taken?  My husband and I both looked up how to buy replacements (which is why I now know it’s called a “water wiggler.”)  My sister did one better though: she wrote to the Air and Space Museum to see if it would be possible to order a replacement.  And the Air and Space Museum? They shipped one to my son, free of charge.

Laws and rules may not make sense, but in love we can truly fulfill the law.  My prayer today is that we can focus on loving one another and the love given to us by others, just as God loved us!

Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado