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Wednesday, October 29, 2008

As Simple As Black and White?

Today's Daily Soap {Scripture | Observation | Application | Prayer}
SCRIPTURE:
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. Colossians 2:8 [NIV]
OBSERVATION: We seem to have lost our focus on Christ.
APPLICATION:
We live in a world now where deception has become the norm. We have even found a way to make it okay, by measuring it in degrees. We speak of "little white lies," even at the early stages of childhood. Problem is, those "little white lies" keep getting whiter and whiter, and soon the "little" white lies are no longer lies at all. Next, the "little white lies" become slightly bigger. It's a repetitive cycle of rationalizing away things that were once considered wrong, until they are no longer wrong at all.
This is not the philosophy we have been taught by Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This is not His way. Certainly the Son of Man never intended for us to do many of the things that we as a society (or, at least, those we have elected as legislators) have deemed acceptable. Abortion? Divorce? Pre-marital cohabitation? Just to name a few.
At what point do we draw the line? Right and wrong is no longer as clear as black and white. The black continually moves through gray becoming whiter and whiter until we perceive nothing wrong there. How white do we allow the black to become before we say enough is enough?
What examples can you share of the black turning white? Of the wrong becoming right? Of the unacceptable becoming commonplace? Please share your thoughts.
PRAYER:
Father, keep my vision clear and my mind focused on You. Help me to always know wrong from right and to not accept shades of gray as okay.

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