Talking with a friend a number of years ago, I was mentioning to him that God wants us to obey certain rules because He always wants what is best for us. My friend then proceeded to ask, "but what if we figure out a better way to do things?" At the time, the idea had never actually crossed my mind. I did not, however, think that it was a good question. There are so many levels that this is wrong, it is a bit hard to describe.
First, to imagine that we could be smarter than God is a bit disgusting. If God is all-knowing, then where would that put us? Just the thought that we could be wiser than God shows a massive degree of hubris in the person and is enough to make your head swim. Secondly, how could we invent something that God had never thought of? Yes, men are creative, but that does not mean that our creativity could surprise the Lord. That is somewhat the point of God's commands: He gives them to us because He knows that all the other "options" only lead to pain and sadness.
In the gospel reading for the Mass a few days ago, we are told about Jesus' rebuke against the Jews for developing traditions that negate God's laws. In essence, Jesus is telling them that they should not think that they can come up with a better set of rules than God. The Lord says, "do not do such-and-such", and if we later say, "such-and-such is really cool, and it may be better for us", then we are denying the wisdom and knowledge of God.
In truth, we all know that we need to obey the rules that God has given us through the Church. When we try to "adjust" the rules, or even come up with a few of our own, we are not showing respect for the things of God. God's rules are always fairly clear, but if we try to find ways to avoid them that means we have to justify for our rejection of them. If we look at the rules that God has given us, and find that they are a bit tough to obey, we are supposed to ask for help; not seek ways to compromise.
So what would make someone think that they could come up with a rule or commandment to improve upon what God has said? It is doubtful that anyone actually thinks this way. What likely happens is that someone finds God's rules difficult, and then he "rewrites" them in his head. We all know that it is easier if we make up the rules ourselves! After all, that means we can design them any way we want. It is often thought that the Pharisees in the first century were obsessed with the law of God; actually they disliked the law of God and wanted to replace it with their own.
Are we much different? Do we seek out little ways to "adjust" God's laws to fit our preferences? If we find ourselves deciding to "fudge" when we encounter a difficult rule that the Church has given us, then we are prone to this very sin. "Bending the rules" is not a sign of someone who is dedicated to Christ, nor is it the sign of someone who is on the path of holiness. What is your attitude to the commands of God? Do you seek ways to get around them? Turn from this path now. Do not "stretch" the rules. Seek the path of righteousness, and our Lord will grant you His grace.
