And the Gods watched those things which they had ordered until they obeyed.
And the Gods saw that they would be obeyed.
The Gods saw they would obey.
Behold, they [male and female] shall be very obedient.
--Abraham 4
Obedience seems to have a bad rap in the world I live in, especially if you're not religious. It's seen as restrictive and controlling ... "You will do as I say, or else" kind of viewpoint. Even the scriptures above appear to have that kind of vibe.
So, as I was studying Abraham this morning, the verses above really got me thinking about
-->Conformity
-->Compliance
-->Obedience
and what the difference is between them and how they show up in my life.
Conformity. Changing your behavior or thoughts to align with a group because you want to fit in. You don't want to be seen as different. Conformity and integrity seem incongruous.
Compliance. Changing your behavior at the request or command of another person whether or not you agree privately. Can lead to resentment.
Obedience. Changing behavior at the request of an authority figure and believing that doing so is truly the right thing to do. True obedience comes from the heart, from love.
"And the Gods watched those things which they had ordered until they obeyed."
It doesn't say "And the Gods watched ... until they conformed or complied." Obedience is not about threats, coercion, manipulation, force, intimidation. God is carefully observing, guarding, waiting while we figure out the why behind obedience and not merely the what.
He simply said, "If you love me, keep my commandments." --John 14:15
Love and obedience are DEEPLY entwined. You cannot have one without the other. Obedience without love is no more than compliance or conformity.
