See with your Heart

Last week we all took part in a play, based on the book 'Ten Rules You Absolutely Must Not Break if You Want to Survive the School Bus' by John Grandits.

We lined up the chairs in the front of the church, like seats on a bus, and all climbed aboard.

Ray played the part of the little brother who was taking the school bus for the first time. His older 'brother' Phil (Philomena) warned him about the dangers on the bus and made him promise not to break his ten rules.

The older brother's rules included, 'Don't talk to girls', 'Don't make eye contact with the big kids', 'Don't talk to the driver'... and many more. Somehow poor Ray managed to break every single rule! But, in the process of doing so, he brings about a big change which benefits everyone.

Like the big brother, the Pharisees in the bible reading were so focussed on the rule that had been broken that they could not see the miracle. Like Ray's brother, the pharisees looked to the rules to guide their every move... seeing the rules as things you absolutely must follow without fail, in order to honour God. But, Jesus on the the other hand, sees the rules more as guidelines. They are there to help you make decisions, but he is writing a new rule. His new rule places the well being of people over the rules. Sometimes, rules need to be broken when the outcome is better for everyone.

The play also revealed the truth that we should not judge people by their appearances. It is not what people look like on the outside that we should focus on, but what they are like on the inside. 

Ray was able to make friends with the girl (who his brother had warned him against, 'girls are as mean as snakes!') and sat with the big kid (who 'looked like' he was going to 'give him a pounding'), and talked with the 'mean old lady' bus driver - and none of them turned out to be as scary as they looked!

See with your heart.