The legalistic little baby plant that nearly killed himself by making rules!
The seedling of a Great Oak fell to the ground. Early next spring when the Sun was up and the moisture of the soil was just right because of the recent snow melt, the seed sprouted. The sun came up, the sun went down, water happened, "so I grew" the seeding thought. Sun, darkness, water, "so I grew again". And so on til the end of fall. (pun intended)
Why did he fall? Remember this is a story of a Legalistic plant. HHHHMMmmmm. What would a legalistic plant be thinking by now?
Plant would be thinking "I got sun and water for 6 months then I will get sun and water for another 6 months." You see he just made a rule. Now you could come up with whatever rule you wish, but whatever rule you choose will eventually kill the plant, especially because winter snow is right around the corner. Water would be scarce because the snow would not melt, the light would be dim as well because of the depth of the snow. The chances of a plant in this condition to live are slim to none.
With the knowledge that seedling had he came up with these rules to follow for life. Yet having been early sprouted and not having gone through the harsh winter yet nor the heat of the worst of summers yet (diff. trials). Having been early sprouted and seeing a pattern of sun, darkness, water, sun, darkness, water,sun, darkness, water 6 monthly cycles and then makes a rule that I only need 3 units of water because on average I got 3 units every 3 months or 6 total units at the end of 6 months (by November).
Averaging 1 unit a month. (but wait is this plant really getting 1 unit of water a month? No, it is getting an average of one unit a month (so far). So what if the plant only stored up one unit of water for one month and then there is a 40 day period of no rain came after the 30th day, 31st etc? "Well then, the plant dies. Because the plant thought well I will get water every 30 days on the dot because I got 6 units in 6 months. So I can use one unit every 30 days. And if he doesn't die then then when winter comes the plant will surely fall."
Why because he saw 6 cycles of one month equally needing the same water. Yes true for that past. From april to october, yes we did get that pattern. But the future can't be based on the past when so little current experience is known. (or only the first 6 months of your life) Imagine making a rule for your life so early on in your life, so foolish. Then another rule and another rule. Why rule after rule, because the higher reigning good principle of love is not in operation.
So just when the plant would be expecting water, it will get snow and therefore die because it had not enough light and water stored up. He only had a rule based on little experience. But this is to small of a portion of life to come up with a rule for the rest of your life. Especially since we don't live by any rules only one principle of love.
So what happens then to the seedling that made a rule that it only needs 6 month cycles of water,sun,darkness itc.? When the snow hits and it is expecting light then it will get none for at least another 3-5 months when spring hits again. So if this poor little seedling is not strong and stored up enough (light and water) for the harsh winter then it will die.
Young converts will soon make rules on how to live the Christian life because they really don't know any other way. But give the Spirit of Love some time and while the young man is growing up he learns to live by good principles.
Interesting thing is that the plant thinks it is doing good by storing up 1 unit for 30 days. The problem is that normal weather never will be dry for 29 days then rain on the 30th day enough rain for the next 30 days and so on.
Some of the Son and Holy Spirit is all it needed.
Some of the light and water is all it will need to grow
Even if lots of water and losing more and more sunlight each day will cause some growth somewhere.
