Dad wanted to go to Krispy Kreme, but we couldn’t find one in Key West. Or on No Name Key. Or even on Key Largo. So, we settled on a great-looking store that promised “outdoor gear,” and an opportunity to see Hemingway’s boat.

Not quite donuts, but at least better than another hour going 42 mph behind that guy in the motor home.

The store’s advertising was nearly true. Hemingway’s boat turned out to be “almost exactly the same as the one Hemingway had made after fishing (probably) in this one.” OK. I can handle that, and it was fun to climb the stairs to the wheelhouse.

Several signs caught my eye on the way up. “Do not sit here.” “Do not touch.” “Do not go any further.”

Dad and I “did not,” and then walked down from the boat, back into the racks of shirts, shorts, rods, reels, and hats. We didn’t try any on, because a sign warned, “Do not try on without a clerk.”

So, rather than stand, sit, try on, peer into, or otherwise disobey the signs, we gave up. It was just too hard keeping track of all the things we MUST NOT DO!

As we walked back to the van, Dad said, “Guess we went to the Do Not Shop after all!”

Some folks feel that God is like who ever owns that outdoor shop—heavy on the “Do not’s!” and strong on the “watching.” They skim through the Bible and get caught on the wording of the Ten Commandments. “Thou shalt not!,” they hear Him screaming. Funny, but even if they’re not stealing anything, they feel guilty when they read the stealing commandment. And covet? That commandment is enough to make you skip all the ads in Sports Illustrated.

People who get caught on the “don’ts” are always checking for signs, and watching to see who’s watching. Guilt (earned or imputed) becomes their first name, and misery their personality trait.

How sad. And how unlike God’s will for us. His character is freedom, not restriction. The Bible is filled with His voice calling for us to “DO!”

In Genesis, you’ll hear God commanding His kids to “care for, eat, tend, protect, and multiply.” In Isaiah, you’ll hear Him inviting you to “come, reason, and be changed.” In Psalms, He calls you to “sing!” In Colossians, He provides new clothes and asks us to put them on.

In the Gospels, He challenges us to meekness, patience, compassion, generosity, and love—all the while calling to us to “eat.”

And in Revelation, He shouts for us to “listen,” “open,” and “set another place at the table.”

No room for guilt and sign checking here. We’re far too busy eating, sharing, loving, and celebrating. We’re overwhelmed with, “loving being loved by Him!”

By the way, He’s watching. But He’s not looking for us to break a rule. He’s watching to be sure He’s right there when we need to be picked up.

Hmmmm. I wonder if He’d like to join me for my once-a-year trip to Krispy Kreme?