Having boundaries was kind of foreign to me as the youngest of eight kids. I was like a free-range chicken going in and out of everyone’s life. Then, suddenly, something changed all of that and it was called school.
You see, in those days whatever happened at school stayed at school. Teachers had latitude in correcting students. They could tape your mouth, hit you with rulers or yardsticks, pull your ears, or throw you against the wall if they so desired. I’m not just making this up; they could even hold you back until you got too big for the seats.
I’ll never forget it. I can’t tell you what that kid did to deserve such punishment. The teacher firmly clutched his shirt, lifted him off the floor, and deposited his feet on his desktop. Mucus ran down the little guy’s nose and he now stood eyeball to eyeball with the teacher.
I felt like I was the only witness to this event, but there had to be twenty others. No one had to testify because there would be no trial. I’ll tell you, I learned something about boundaries that day. I said to myself, “Don’t do what that kid did.”
The Bible has a lot to say about boundaries:
Proverbs 22:28
Do not move the ancient boundary which your fathers have set.
Knowing where you belong and where you don’t is important in the life that God has given to us.
Think about it.
Gary