Usually children and grandchildren hate hearing a sentence that begins with “When I was a kid…” The more expressive might even roll their eyes. But here goes: When I was a kid with four younger siblings, when my mother would get tired of our resistance to her repeated requests to do something, and tired of our whining “But, why, Mom?”, she would in a no more nonsense voice, say, “Because I said so!”

I wonder, if on occasion, our heavenly Father ever looks at us, answering our whining “But why?” with a stern, “Because I said so!” He did say, “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome…” (1 John 5:3).

My mother loved us enough to feed us before she ate; she loved us enough to attempt to teach us some responsibility even when we resisted. She loved us enough to correct us when we were doing wrong. She loved us enough to make us sit down and listen to the words of God from The Holy Bible. She loved us enough not to give in to our whining when it was for our good.

How much more does the God of love want us to learn and to practice good, not do bad stuff!

How unreasonable is it to ask us to “do no harm?” How unreasonable is it to ask us to help one another? How unreasonable is it for God our Father to require of us “to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly [recognizing his authority and greatness] with your God” (Micah 6:8)? How unreasonable is it to curb our “freedom” to consider someone else's best interest (1 Corinthians 10:23-24)?

My mother's commands were meant for the good of the family; God's commands are meant for our good. My mother was not always right, but God is the one who is always right. God's laws are good and meant to show us how to treat one another with love and respect. The more perfectly we do this (which we never have), the more peaceful and safe our communities will be.

We may not understand all the “whys” of biblical instruction, but we can know, since God is our Creator and our Lord and our Savior and Guide, his instructions are meant for our good. We can do our best to obey him “Because he said so!” out of his love for us and the love we have for him.