Separation from definitions is most unlikely in life. Most would say that everything is either black or white. I’m not talking about color, or race. The grey areas can be a little taboo. We tend to gravitate towards big “hot button” issues, but that is not what we’re talking about here really. It seems as though we do our best to set up borders & rules to protect our way of faith, but what we’re possibly doing is robbing our lives a full dimensioned journey.

I’m finding that life can’t always be black and white, cut and dry. As much as we would like for it to be, sometime it just isn’t. What if God doesn’t want us to live in a black and white world? A black and white world is created by man. The Creator breathed color into life. WE define the black and white. We may use our moral code and what we have learned from the scriptures to form it, but it is still our formation. If we are setting up the black and white perimeters, what do we need God for? If we are depending on our own, accepted definitions of right and wrong, we have no need of God and His grace. Scripture says that hope in what is seen, is not real hope (Rom. 8:24). Lines might need to be blurred in order for us to actually see God clearly. Does God live in the grey area? The uncertain area? He is bigger than our boundaries and definitions. He is most definately larger than our words and intellect.

“The choice in politics isn’t usually between black and white. It’s between two horrible shades of gray.” – Thorneycroft

“Shades of grey wherever I go. The more I find out the less that I know. Black and white is how it should be. But shades of grey are the colors I see.” – Billy Joel

“Light is meaningful only in relation to darkness, and truth presupposes error. It is these mingled opposites which people our life, which make it pungent, intoxicating. We only exist in terms of this conflict, in the zone where black and white clash.” – Louis Aragon

“When you’re the victim of the behavior, it’s black and white; when you’re the perpetrator, there are a million shades of gray.” – Laura Schlessinger

Schlessinger’s quote makes me think “Why shouldn’t we want to see life in a million shades of gray”, (or vibrant color for that matter)?

So much of the Christian sub-culture can preach that if you have a checklist of things TO DO, and then one for the things to NOT DO, we can live safe, happy, good Christian lives. Throw a little money in the plate, bag, or basket PLUS no smoking PLUS no cussing EQUALS good Christian. Doing what I have heard and been told to do PLUS asking no questions EQUALS good Christian.

I haven’t seen many big life changing things happen in safe controlled, calculated environments. I believe that “magic” happens in the uncontrolled, unexplained place of faith and mystery.

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