http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+2:1-3&version=NIV1984
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+2:27&version=NIV1984
I am old enough to remember when all TV’s were black and white. I don’t think it was until the mid-60's that I saw a color one. In a store. When I did, I was very impressed. So were many others as well. Because color TV sales soared. And as far as I know, black and white TV’s are out of existence. Except for a few relics that might still be around.
I can also vaguely remember the first time I saw a color photograph. It was also in the mid-60's. (I guess it was a very colorful decade!) If I’m not mistaken, it was a photo that my grandmother had taken. Once again, once color was introduced, the floodgates were open. Everyone bought color film. So they could have color photographs. Black and white photographs became a thing of the past. Except for some photographers who still like to take black-and-whites in certain settings. Yeah, I can appreciate a few black-and-whites. But I certainly don’t want to go back to that era. I’m a color man, myself. I guess that makes me a colorful person! :)
Unfortunately, in my time in the pastorate, I have met a number of people who are still in the black-and-white era. Not in regard to TV’s or pictures. But in regard to life. They see life as having only 2 categories - black or white. As a result, they see people as either good or they’re bad. Behavior is either good or bad. The same with books. Music. Clothing. Technology. And everything else they encounter in life. Unfortunately, this black-and-white mentality has found its way into the church. The result is that the music is either good or bad. And so is the preaching. And the curriculum. And the decisions of the Board. And so on. I don’t know if this is the way that these people are wired or if it’s the way they choose to be. Perhaps it’s a little bit of both.
Now the advantage of viewing life in terms of black and white is that it is neat. Tidy. Organized. You always know exactly what you’re dealing with. And how to respond. Unfortunately, life is nothing like that. It doesn’t always fit nice and neatly into prearranged categories. At times, life is messy. Real messy. People aren’t just good or bad. They are usually a mixture of both. Music can be good or bad. Or somewhere in between. The same is true of books. Clothing. Technology. And just about everything else.
The disadvantage of viewing life in terms of black-and-white is that it usually leads to being judgmental. And self-righteous. While other people might debate the merits of something, they don’t. They already know if it’s black or white. And they are always right. Just ask them. These people are also highly opinionated. On just about everything. Nothing is in doubt. It’s either black or white. End of conversation.
Now I am a firm believer that there is black and white in the world. The Bible clearly teaches this. There is sin. And there is righteousness. But I find that the black and the white is few and far between. As I view life, it has a lot of gray. In some situations there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to respond. It truly is situational. One person might choose to do one thing in a situation while another person might choose to do something different. And neither choice is wrong. They’re just different.
Since this is a big topic, and very important, I will continue my thoughts in tomorrow’s post.
Lord, how I wish at times that life was black-and-white. Cut and dried. But it isn’t. It is messy. It is fluid. People and situations are constantly changing. I confess that I don’t always know what to do or how to respond. I am glad that You do. Your Holy Spirit can show me the right course of action in every situation. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
I can also vaguely remember the first time I saw a color photograph. It was also in the mid-60's. (I guess it was a very colorful decade!) If I’m not mistaken, it was a photo that my grandmother had taken. Once again, once color was introduced, the floodgates were open. Everyone bought color film. So they could have color photographs. Black and white photographs became a thing of the past. Except for some photographers who still like to take black-and-whites in certain settings. Yeah, I can appreciate a few black-and-whites. But I certainly don’t want to go back to that era. I’m a color man, myself. I guess that makes me a colorful person! :)
Unfortunately, in my time in the pastorate, I have met a number of people who are still in the black-and-white era. Not in regard to TV’s or pictures. But in regard to life. They see life as having only 2 categories - black or white. As a result, they see people as either good or they’re bad. Behavior is either good or bad. The same with books. Music. Clothing. Technology. And everything else they encounter in life. Unfortunately, this black-and-white mentality has found its way into the church. The result is that the music is either good or bad. And so is the preaching. And the curriculum. And the decisions of the Board. And so on. I don’t know if this is the way that these people are wired or if it’s the way they choose to be. Perhaps it’s a little bit of both.
Now the advantage of viewing life in terms of black and white is that it is neat. Tidy. Organized. You always know exactly what you’re dealing with. And how to respond. Unfortunately, life is nothing like that. It doesn’t always fit nice and neatly into prearranged categories. At times, life is messy. Real messy. People aren’t just good or bad. They are usually a mixture of both. Music can be good or bad. Or somewhere in between. The same is true of books. Clothing. Technology. And just about everything else.
The disadvantage of viewing life in terms of black-and-white is that it usually leads to being judgmental. And self-righteous. While other people might debate the merits of something, they don’t. They already know if it’s black or white. And they are always right. Just ask them. These people are also highly opinionated. On just about everything. Nothing is in doubt. It’s either black or white. End of conversation.
Now I am a firm believer that there is black and white in the world. The Bible clearly teaches this. There is sin. And there is righteousness. But I find that the black and the white is few and far between. As I view life, it has a lot of gray. In some situations there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to respond. It truly is situational. One person might choose to do one thing in a situation while another person might choose to do something different. And neither choice is wrong. They’re just different.
Since this is a big topic, and very important, I will continue my thoughts in tomorrow’s post.
Lord, how I wish at times that life was black-and-white. Cut and dried. But it isn’t. It is messy. It is fluid. People and situations are constantly changing. I confess that I don’t always know what to do or how to respond. I am glad that You do. Your Holy Spirit can show me the right course of action in every situation. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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