God dug ten holes and called them Law.
God’s people were warned not to step in the holes so no one would get hurt. Or stuck.
One day well-meaning religious leaders, who loved God and His people deeply, decided to lay cones around the holes. With cones in place, no one would ever get too close and accidentally slip in.
God’s Law said, “Keep the Sabbath day holy; don’t work; rest.”
A leader scribbled his circle of cones around it: “Do not break a sweat on the Sabbath,” he wrote and “Don’t carry a needle in your clothes while walking or it could move around and accidentally sew.”
Then another religious leader declared another ring of cones to keep people from bumping into the first circle of cones: “Don’t light a fire on the Sabbath,” he said and “Don’t take more than x number of steps on the Sabbath.”
For the protection of God’s people and out of love for God, they went on and on like this for generations.
The cones of men became as revered as the holes of God. Cone crashers were excommunicated, cut off from family and church, and sometimes even killed.
Some people loved the cones more than each other. Sometimes even more than God.
Then the Law Giver put on skin and walked among the people – walked right through their cones, out onto slippery slopes, dangerously close to the holes. Sometimes he even reached down into holes to lift people out. He showed the people how to love without getting stuck in a hole.
Jesus crashed through the cones and right into a party where he turned water into strong wine. He stepped over cones and into the Temple where he healed a withered hand on the Sabbath. He kicked the cones out of His way to touch the dead and leprous. He kicked the cones out of His path on the way to lunch with crooked Roman tax collectors and prostitutes. He crushed the cones and sent an adulterous woman’s accusers away empty-handed.
Jesus hates our cones. No matter who lays them and how well-intentioned and helpful and old they may be.
I’ve laid some cones and called them holes. And I’ve got bruises from stones thrown when I bumped into everyone else’s.
Don’t watch TV. Don’t date. Don’t get a tattoo. Don’t trick or treat. Don’t go to movies. Don’t buy an iPhone. Don’t listen to “rock music.” Don’t drink alcohol or go to places that serve it. Don’t play cards. Don’t get that haircut. Don’t send your kids to public school. Don’t buy Christmas presents. Don’t read Harry Potter. Don’t wear make-up. Don’t vote Democrat. Don’t do yoga. Don’t…
Now if your balance is a little off and you’re out walking alone, you might not want to venture too far past some of the cones right now lest you fall into a hole. It is slippery out there in some places. Use discernment.
But if you’re pretty good on your feet, for God’s sake…
Crash the cones.
Especially to love someone in a hole.
Alex Green says:
A beautiful and compelling post, thank you Shaun.
Just what I needed to hear today, right now!
God bless you.
Janet Oberholtzer says:
Another excellent post!
One other thing I’ve noticed about cones … questions about them are usually not encouraged. Which is really difficult for me since I was born asking “Why?”
Jeremy Keegan says:
Great analogy! Thanks for putting pictures to words on that subject for me.
Tony Alicea says:
This is great Shawn. It especially resonates after going to Israel this year and spending a Sabbath in Jerusalem. The Ultra Orthodox Jews don’t even flip a light switch on the Sabbath.
I know I’ve been guilty in my early years of setting up more cones than I’d like to admit. I love your perspective here.
Kris says:
Excellent!! Thank YOU!
JessicaB says:
I like this. But I’m bothered by the first line.
Because it makes it seem so easy to conclude that if God hadn’t dug holes in the first place, we’d ne’er be in hole fallin danger.
But I haven’t sat here long enough yet to come up with a parable scenario where the hearts of men dug holes, and God put up billboards warning against the holes and men put cones around the billboards…..
I’m just not as parable-inclined as a soft-rockin, faux-hawkin, singer guy.
Shaun Groves says:
Agreed, Jessica. I much prefer thinking of the Law as an artist’s portrait – showing us what God is like.
But we also treat breaking the Law – I think rightfully – like a very bad thing. Jesus didn’t come to abolish it but to fulfill it, to simplify it even: Love God with all you’ve got and love your neighbor like he’s you.
Couldn’t think of a metaphor that depicted the beauty, self-revelation and seriousness of the Law. If one dawns on you please pass it along to me…so I can pass it along as my own ; )
Bill says:
Bravo! I really appreciate the way you think and write.
Kim says:
I love this. Jesus was the master cone crasher. I got some navigating to do!
JessicaB says:
Love this!
Master Cone Crasher.
Holly says:
Outstanding…Boy I need to get som eorange cones out of my life….and so thankful there is that One to pull me out of the holes I am so often in.
Deidre says:
Thanks for putting a visual to a frustrating topic for me. First of all, I’m thankful for the One that pulled me out of a hole. Secondly, the more frustrated I become with this issue, the more convicted I am that I am, indeed, a cone-bearer. Stink.
T&T says:
Crash cones? Live dangerously? Love like Jesus? Crazy-stuff. This is an awesome post.
michelle says:
Come on…. Preach it!
Crashing cones here.
bryan says:
dude. great post.
jen says:
You forgot, “Don’t use humor to make a point.” (Oh, did I say that out loud!)
Great word picture, but I will never see a traffic cone the same!
Heather EV says:
Lots of thought…which cones are we revering as if they’re God’s law? Which ones get in the way rather than help us? Hmm…
Missy says:
Amazing post. This is one that will stick with me, and I dare say I’m totally stealing the idea of it to share with my 12 year old daughter. What a clear, simple picture of a huge, complicated concept! THANK YOU.
@kelybreez says:
And then Jesus came along and said, Well, ya know, there’s really only two big holes, two big sink holes that sucked all the cones and holes right into ’em… Love God; Love others.
If ya get good at those, you don’t have to try too hard to discern between holes & cones.
Cones have holes in the top, so it’s easy for a cone-setter to convince people that they are bona fide holes.
Maybe we have to look for evidence of God-creation, and stay away from the holes that are perfectly ‘man’icured.
I’ll be the first to admit, though… It’s difficult to tell the ‘man’holes from the God holes if we don’t read the Bible quite a bit –so we can see the holes God really dug.
Judy says:
Awesome post! 🙂
Jason Rust says:
This is a great approach to the topic you touched on the other day. Nice work.
Princess Leia says:
I agree with the overall concept, and think it’s a great analogy, but I think the issue isn’t that people set up cones, because I think that sometimes those are necessary and/or good (think of a recovering alcoholic avoiding bars or a man not being alone with a woman that is not his wife). The problem comes in when someone sets up a cone for him/herself (or a silly cone, like the various Sabbath laws), and then expects the rest of the world to use that same cone, judging them if they do not.
Setting up cones isn’t _bad_ per se (again, a matter of discernment ;p ), setting up cones for anyone other than yourself (or someone under your authority, e.g., your kids) and/or outside of God’s will for your life may be problematical.
Certainly setting up the cone(s) as the most important thing in your life is wrong.
Shaun Groves says:
From the post:
“Now if your balance is a little off and you’re out walking alone, you might not want to venture too far past some of the cones right now lest you fall into a hole. It is slippery out there in some places. Use discernment.”
Kyle Reed says:
Very well said and illustrated. Great stuff. Probably one of my favorite post you have ever written
Angie Wilkinson says:
Good stuff!
P Mike says:
I’m not sure we’re in the arena where religous people are cramming arbitrary rules down people’s throats anymore as much as well-meaning people are embracing and/or accepting harmful behavior because they don’t want to be imposing thier beliefs on others. We should remember that there really are more than 10 holes, and we shouldn’t be condoning behavior that drives people further from God.
Shaun Groves says:
I’m so thankful your experience has been different from my own (and from many reading today).
I travel to about 80 churches every year to sing and to speak. I meet many many Christians who have been bruised by stones thrown at them for bumping into a cone and not a hole.
I understand and appreciate the caution against licentiousness, against permissiveness. Much needed as well! Please keep in mind, however, that there are many walking wounded in the church in America, broken by cone layers and not the Law Giver.
Again, thankful that’s not been your experience. Pray for the rest of us as we heal up and aim to have mercy and compassion on those who’ve hurt us.
Shayne says:
You forgot to mention all the workers at the cone-making factories and how they’ll be out of a job thanks to Jesus’ cone-crushing ways.
🙂
Kelli says:
Once again a great post. As I think about this I wonder if I’m a cone setter upper, a hole dweller or a cone crasher. Do you think it’s always good to be a cone crasher or is it possible to crash through a cone and slip right down the hole? Am I taking the analogy a step too far? I’m going to have to chew on this one a bit. Thanks Shaun. Excellent writing this week!
Shaun Groves says:
From the post:
“Now if your balance is a little off and you’re out walking alone, you might not want to venture too far past some of the cones right now lest you fall into a hole. It is slippery out there in some places. Use discernment.”
Alex Hermann says:
Been really enjoying the blog posts about grace and God’s standards, and how they aren’t mutually exclusive. I live in Missoula and I wish I could come see you this weekend, but I’m leading worship at my church (River City Church) at the same time as your concert.
God bless you man.
Sarah says:
I like the analogy. Thanks for making me think.
katie says:
I would say that, in the world of cone-crashing and stone-throwing there is another element to be considered.
Sometimes, I treat cone-crushing a little bit like cow-tipping–something that will only make problems and upset other people so should be avoided or done in secret…(obviously not advocating cow-tipping…just couldn’t find a better analogy)
In the churches and circles of Christianity I’ve been in, the people-pleasing meets the legalism and turns into an ugly mess that looks even less like Jesus.
Half the problem is the cones and stones that bruise and the other half the problem is the fear of the people throwing stones that leads to indecision, fear, and guilt in a person who has been delivered from the law of sin and death by our precious Jesus.
Joseph says:
I understand what you’re getting at, and I pretty much agree…
But I’m not sure about the “hole” bit. Does God really dig holes and then tell us not to get in?
Or do we dig the holes, jump in, and then God tells us…”um, you’re in a hole”?
Shaun Groves says:
The metaphor isn’t perfect, admittedly.
But it’s accurate in as much as God did give us the Law (holes). And He knew we’d sin (fall in).
Romans 5:20 even seems to say the holes were dug so that we’d fall in and need rescuing (grace). “The law was added so that sin might increase” (Romans 5:20a). “But where sin increased grace increased more” (Romans 5:20b).
That’s a mind bender huh?
Joseph says:
Well, it’s bigger than my head can wrap around…but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Ha!
Kristen Schiffman says:
I’d love to meet you one day Shaun. Of all the blogs I read, yours most radiates Christ to me.
It feels like freedom here.
A holy, reverent, freedom.
misty says:
Me too! I had the chance and didn’t….I went to his concert here in Knoxville. Shaun was talking to others and I left (and a little intimidated, honestly:))….regretfully. 🙂
JessicaB says:
I met the Parabolist once but I don’t think he remembers. 🙂
Such is the life of being a popular Singer Guy.
Shaun Groves says:
My problem isn’t remembering people but remembering where on earth we met!
Ben, my road manager, is my external hard drive for stuff like that ; ). And also where I left my wallet. And what time it is. And what city I’m presently in. And…
JessicaB says:
Shaun –
Slightly intimidating and scary -stark-white-church- last year that resulted in this tweet:
“We all miss something when everyone in church is our age. Thank you calvary baptist in waycross georgia for that reminder tonight.”
😉
Shaun Groves says:
Kristen, you have no idea how much I needed that specific affirmation this morning. It’s been a long week of mistakes for me here on this blog – lots of criticism (mostly warranted). Thanks for the exact kind words I needed.
And I’d love to meet you someday too. What city you in? Maybe we’re headed your way!
[email protected] says:
I LOVE THIS POST. Love the honesty, the image, the way you ended it. My husband’s an on-the-edge kinda guy, working in student ministry for ten years, and we have fought with the “grown-ups” and their clinging to the cones, despite the hole-drowning teenager.
Thanks for this. A good message . . .
misty says:
Wow! Amen!
I loved this post and the analogy that you use.
Thanks Shaun!
jay sauser says:
I smell Killer Sermon Illustration here! Thanks man.
Kim says:
This is a wonderful post on the heels of the one you did the other day that received so much flack.
I write/blog too and am often criticized for not being legalistic enough – for being a cone crasher I guess you could say. I feel there are so many illustrations from the life of Jesus that tell us to do just that. When the Pharisees criticized Jesus for not performing a hand-washing ritual before eating and Jesus turned it right around on them saying that it didn’t matter if their hands were clean if their heart was not. I love that analogy and it is so fitting.
I have many friends who grew up in Christian environments who have now rejected the faith. When I ask them why, they report virtually unanimously that it is because of judgment and hypocrisy they have encounter from ‘The Church’ and its people. This is not okay with me. If it is our own people who are driving others away from the faith we are doing it wrong.
We are focusing way too much on what we should avoid doing and ignoring what we are supposed to being doing and that is to love. Jesus was clear when he said that all the laws of the prophets could be summed up in 2 commands – Love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.
JessicaB says:
Amen.
I was just reading a book today that said:
“America’s best atheists are children of the church.”
And that has definitely been my experience.
Marsha says:
I would agree some of these are rediculous things that you are mentioning. I have read one conservative blog that criticize a significant leader that could be seen as too conservative by some on this because he thinks it is okay if one chooses to go to church in jeans versus looking like you are going to a fancy dinner, interview or professional position. That is like a pharisee. When it comes politics I would say consult with God about whom you should vote for. The majority of us desire to live in a place where we can worship God and exercise our religious freedom freely as we have been able to all our life. I came out of a church group that in the early yrs bfore I came along homeschooling was expected. In some churches in this association they still stick to the old ways, which is cultic since homeschooling is not for everyone. Where I live the public schools are not as good as when I was growing up. One has to look at what would be best for the situation.
Ashley says:
Well…as one that grew up in Holiness where everything on Planet Earth was a giant no-no surrounded by cones, do not cross banners, and hazard signs…I think this is pretty good.
All though…when Adam fell and the world was plunged into a fallen state where sin, death, and disease would then reign…God then had to give the Law to instruct us that hey…some folks abysmally screwed up here…there is a right way and a wrong way, since you are confused…I’ll give you a few hints…and then later…I’ll fulfill the Law…I’ll show you that not only am I the Law Giver…but the Justifier of the transgressors.
So in the end…its not really about holes at all. More like a path well trampled upon…with lots of grown up vegetation and wild trees that make it hard to see clearly where the path lies…get off the right path…plunge into sin.
well..really getting lost here….
I found this an excellent analogy, much needed for such a person as I…though I do admit discomfort at the strong wine aspect…don’t really picture the wedding party throwing a few back.
.
Jerry Walker says:
Love to hear you preach God’s word – you make it so easy to understand. -love you brother!
Leslie says:
Loved this. So much. Thanks!
Donna says:
Wow! I wish there was a way to share this on my facebook page…. am i just missing it?
JessicaB says:
There’s a little megaphone share button in the top left of every post.
Or there’s the good ole fashion copy and past way. 😉
Donna says:
thanks Jessica!!
Tim Contreras says:
We have all been cone-heads at one point or another on our lives; we need massive quantities of humility and forgiveness!!!