Rules are Rules?

 

Lovable Rogues are often popular and occupy central roles in books and films.

Denis Waterman’s death last week prompted the news outlets to recall his role in the TV series ‘Minder’, alongside that loveable cockney, cigar smoking rogue, Arthur Daley, played by George Cole.

One of the best film releases I’ve enjoyed this year has been ‘The Duke’, staring Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren. Broadbent plays Kempton Bunton, from Newcastle who in 1961 stole (or was it him?) a painting of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery as part of his one-man campaign to get free TV licences for pensioners.  All through the film I found myself routing for the supposed ‘criminal’!

Of course, the rule of law matters, and we are grateful for it.  But there are times when the mantra ‘Rules are Rules’ just doesn’t work.

Just before Prince George’s birth the word went out that parliament had changed the rules of succession.  For over a thousand years it had been the tradition that the eldest son succeeded the king.  Girls could only sit on the throne if there were no male candidates in front of them.  Yet that rule was torn up and has been replaced by one that says the King or Queen’s first born child, male or female, shall succeed.

I’m not sure Jesus comes under the description of a ‘loveable rogue’, but certainly many around him viewed him as a blatant law breaker.  One Saturday, walking through a field he crushed some wheat and offered it, snack like, to his disciples, only to be accused by on lookers as breaking the rules and working on a Holy Day.  His intriguing response was: The Sabbath was made for us, we were not made for the Sabbath’.

History teaches us that when rules are broken with the best of intentions often good outcomes, eventually, (and sometimes it takes years or decades for this) follow.

Just think of that day when Rosa Parks sat, quite deliberately, thoughtfully, and bravely, in a white person’s seat on the bus.  Her rule breaking, in the name of equality, rippled out from Montgomery, Alabama and kick started the Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s.

The Rule of Law is about society seeking to respect all, rich, and poor, women and men and people of all faith traditions and none. If it unfairly favours one against another, then we need to recall the image of Jesus in the wheatfield, rather than just repeat the mantra: rules are rules.