There's a temptation to think that the Book of the Law is a bad thing, but such is not the case.  In fact, we're often very quick to look at laws and rules as oppressive rather than as freeing, but wisdom is found in the latter view rather than in the former.  This idea is fresh in my mind because, as I was running down the road last week, I saw a dog get hit by a car.  It was an awful sight because the dog began yelping as it limped to the side of the road.  So the question is: are owners of dogs oppressive when they build a fence for the dog to live within?  Of course not!  They are really setting the dog free – they are giving it a place to run in safety and protection.  The fence isn't oppressive – it's protective.  The Book of the Law works in the same way.

God doesn't give us His laws to oppress us.  Logically, this view doesn't make sense if you believe in a benevolent God.  Why would God spend His time creating the world and mankind only to find pleasure in oppressing them with ridiculous laws?  On the other hand, a benevolent God who loves His people would give them instructions on how to live in this world with maximum freedom.  The wise person, then, sees the instructions as a blessing rather than as a curse.

Whenever a dog steps outside of the boundaries of the fence, it is risking its life.  The same is true for us.  Because God loves us, He gave us His law.  The question is whether you will submit to it and have maximum freedom or fight against it and risk your life.  Which dog is now more free: the one who was hit by the car, or the one who sits happily behind the fence?