I initially wrote this post on my last blog, but I think it’s such a relevant message that I wanted to post it here, too.
There are rules everywhere. They dictate how we drive a vehicle or pay our taxes or dress at work. These rules are important in that they are not negotiable. Drive according to the rules or lose your license. Pay your taxes or face the wrath of the IRS. Dress appropriately at work or you won’t have a job.
But some rules are more like suggestions. Take this article for instance. These 5 people are those who broke the “rules” of social media, faced considerable amount of pressure to conform, and came out on top in the end.
But who makes the rules anyway? At what point does someone say, “This is a rule that must be followed?” Especially in social media. Social media is about the people contributing to the entirety of the social environment. Heck, it has the word “social” in the name! There is no governing body except the participants, and they have the right to contribute however they deem necessary because there is no official governing body.
The same would go for ministry. Who created the rules for doing ministry? My favorite question to ask anyone is…here comes the black sheep question…wait for it…WHY. Why does it have to be done this way? Why can’t it be done another way? Why? Why?
I guess my point is this. Just because it’s never been done before doesn’t mean that it can’t be done, and just because somebody says that it can’t be done doesn’t mean that an idea won’t be successful. In the end, some “rules” end up being more like suggestions or what some would call best practices.
Now think about this: It might be prettier to stay between the lines, but not nearly as fun.
Who knows what you can accomplish if you’re willing to push the boundaries a little and step out from within the rules. In the end, some rules are more like suggestions.
