The Ultimate Commandment for Achieving Inner Peace: the Promise

"The Ten Commandments" - quick, can you rattle them off without even thinking? What meaning do these commandments play in our lives? Let's examine them one by one.

Of course, there is the most obvious one, the "duh!" one that is irrefutable as a moral foundation:

• Don't kill - ok, it seems, on the surface, to be obvious. But, dare I say, what about abortion? Over the past 20 years, ultrasound technology has improved markedly; it has literally changed the debate on abortion. When it's possible to see, in vivid clarity, tiny fingers and toes at 10 weeks in utero, it shakes us to realize that we're dealing with a God-created soul. I can remember, when I was about 10 weeks pregnant, I went to the ER with severe abdominal pain. It turned out to be nothing more than a gall bladder attack, which we treated with pain killers. But it rocked my world to hear the baby's heart beat via the ultrasound machine. 20 years ago, I was pro-choice. Now, having reached middle age, having suffered through many dark nights of the soul, I have come to a massive personal revelation, brought on by my faith, which is that "don't kill" includes abortion. I think it also includes the "death with dignity debate." So while "don't kill" may seem like an obvious moral foundation, I think it's actually quite controversial in terms of beginning- and end-of-life matters.
  

How about the rest of them:

• Don't steal - ok, what exactly qualifies as "stealing"? When you take home a package of post-it notes from the supply cabinet at work, is that "stealing"? What about when you enjoy a few grapes in the produce department at the grocery store? Or how about when you leave a good waiter a measly tip, is this stealing? Commandments challenge us to take a stand and hone our moral compass.
  

• Honor no other Gods; do not have false idols - this one, to me, is actually quite simple; let nothing in your life become more important than your faith in God. This one is the ultimate frame of reference for keeping things in perspective. We tend to pursue endeavors that we believe will grant us fulfillment (careers, family life, hobbies, etc., et al.,); the challenge is to ensure that none of these endeavors supplant our faith by becoming idolatrous. Because nothing else can or will fulfill us; only our faith can do so.
  

• Do not take the Lord's name in vain - you may be inclined to just sum up this commandment as, "don't swear." But I think it's more than that. It's a recognition of the power of language. It's a recognition that we diminish the sacredness of God by speaking casually or irreverently. And, as my now-deceased father-in-law used to say, "people who swear are simply unable to express themselves intelligently."

• Remember the Sabbath and keep it Holy - What is the "Sabbath" and how does one keep it Holy? This depends on your religious tradition. For Orthodox Jews, the Sabbath is the utmost expression of reverence for God and God's laws; they cannot do anything that might be construed as work on Saturdays. For most of the Christian traditions, the notion of the Sabbath is less stringent. In my life, I respect the Sabbath by attempting to attend my church service every Sunday morning, and also by doing something outside in nature every Sunday afternoon (whether it's tending the garden or taking a walk or some such endeavor). To me, respecting nature is a manifestation of respecting the Sabbath.
  

• Honor your parents - Seems simple, right? But how do we actually "honor" our folks? Tensions frequently arise in the complex parent/adult-child relationship. Parents "just want us to be happy," while adult children are desperate to forge their own identities in the world. Can we still honor our folks while blazing a trail that may not align with our parents' vision for us? Certainly; it has to come down to mutual respect.
  
  
• Don't commit adultery - Seems like another no-brainer. Again, this one's also about respect. Respecting our own relationships and those of others. It seems, doesn't it, that trust and respect are common themes in these commandments.
  

• Don't bear false witness against your neighbor - Again, respect. God had it right long before Aretha, "R-E-S-P-E-C-T."
  

The last one, I think, is the most powerful and the least understood. It is the "You shall not covet your neighbor's wife or anything that belongs to your neighbor." The common ethos of this commandment is that it is seriously over-reaching; why would God issue a command that seemingly is designed to control our thoughts/feelings/emotions? How could my thoughts/feelings/emotions be in violation of God's Law? Does "coveting" actually have any behavioral manifestation?

Let's read into it more deeply. Rather than a command, it is actually a promise. By following God's Laws, you hone your moral foundation and practices. You grow spiritually. You deepen your faith. As such, you become content with what you have. You are not stricken with the agony of unfulfilled desire. You are liberated from the conflicts that inevitably arise from thoughts/feelings/emotions that stem from coveting.

It is a promise, not a command.