Imagine you are in an enormous house. Some of the people who live there hear well and others are deaf. Everyone is together, and it is not obvious which is which at first glance. In one room there is a man sitting down, and you notice he is tapping a rhythm with his feet and his fingers. You know what is happening. He is listening to music and obviously enjoying it. His whole body is reacting to what his ears perceive.
Soon, one of the deaf men opens the door and comes into the room. When he sees the other man, he greets him and thinks, “This guy is really enjoying life. I will try to do the same thing.” The deaf man sits by the first man and begins to imitate him. With a little practice, the deaf man keeps nearly the same rhythm. He smiles and thinks, “This isn’t very fun, but I guess it’s fine.”
Then a third man enters the room and sees the two men apparently doing the same thing. Is there any difference between them? Of course there is! The actions of the first man are a natural response to the music he hears, but the deaf man is merely imitating the outside behavior even though he cannot hear a single note. This is the difference between true Christianity and legalism.
When we understand the Christian life in the way God desires, our attitudes and actions are a response to the “music” of love we hear. The music is the relationship of trust we have with God who lives in us, and who we are learning to love more and more each day. Nevertheless, legalists do not care if you are deaf to the grace and love of God. What they value most is if you snap your fingers and move your feet just like everyone else.
Transform the Globe 
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