Same Word, Different Meanings

There are two kinds of people in the world.

• First, there those who like the clarity and structure rules bring into their lives. These folks tend to follow most rules without any consideration of breaking them or even questioning why the rule is in place. Jo is in this first category.

• Then there are those of us whose defenses are triggered by the mere mention of new rules. We don’t want to be controlled. We have questions every time a rule is introduced. We ask:

- Why is this rule needed?

- What happens if it’s broken?

- Is there a benefit to breaking the rule that outweighs the risk?

I’m in this second category.

Early in our marriage, after watching several friends destroy their marriages with inappropriate relationships, Jo was convicted that we needed to be intentional about protecting our marriage. She suggested that we agree upon some specific “boundaries” regarding our individual interactions with other people. Unfortunately, I initially interpreted “boundaries” as rules. Imagine how that went.