O is for Orders

There are a few different kinds of orders I must explain. As a child growing up Catholic, "Holy Orders" meant becoming a priest, as in "receiving Holy Orders" and was one of the seven Sacraments [the only one I never received, I might add [unless you don't count matrimony, as I was not married as a Catholic] and never could. But I had friends and family who did receive Holy Orders. And it made lots of sense to me because I was also an Air Force brat! In the military, Orders refers first to a duty assignment [as in "he received Orders for Canute AFB"]

Then, of course there are the everyday sort of "orders" given by parents or other persons in authority. Obedience to those orders are directly in line with respect for the giver by the receiver. I think that parents must give orders, and children must learn to obey, but all parent's requests should not be couched as orders, for then a child never learns how to decide correctly for himself. Soldiers must obey orders--usually without question, but American soldiers have always held the right to think for themselves, and to disobey a direct order if believed to be a bad order.

As a director, I must give orders at times, [tho I prefer to make requests] as final decisions must be made by someone who is then held accountable for those orders--just like in the military, or the family.

Sometimes it is nice to know that you are not the person responsible for the orders or for the consequences, for they do go hand in hand...[I love seeing school trips--and thinking, ha! I'm not in charge!]

I guess I've gone full circle in my thinking, for I think that commandments are "Holy Orders." Our Heavenly Father has given us relatively few...but if we follow them, we can reach safety and peace. I always think of the Johnstown Flood of Pennsylvania. I read of a boy whose Prussian Father always gave orders expecting instantaneous obedience. During the flood the two of them were on their roof awaiting rescue. When a boat came, there was room for only one, and the waters were so strong, they could not get very close to the house--nor stay in the area very long. At one point the boy, dimly understanding what was happening, received an order from his father. "Jump" was the order. Without hesitation, the boy followed his father's commamd. and was caught into the rescue boat. I don't recall that the father was saved. But he saved his son, who knew how to take an order. I think of this when I think of the many commandments given us by our Heavely Father. And I ask...Do I close my eyes and jump whenever He commands? I would like to say yes, but it would be a lie. I must learn to trust Him implicitly, close my eyes and jump at His orders. I pray we may all do so. It is hard to always be 100% sure of Holy Orders, but I keep trying.