The Trouble with Gray, in the book of Romans, 14th chapter.
First off, what color is gray? Is it just a drop of black into white or maybe it is closer to a pinch of white into black?
How do we know what is the correct shade of gray?
If white is white and black is black, why can’t we come up with an acceptable color for gray?
You know Henry Ford said that you could have any color of Model T you wanted, as long as it was black. That makes about as much sense as finding the correct shade of gray.
A good shade of gray for you, does not work for me. I think it should be a little darker or maybe a touch lighter.
You and I live in different worlds when it comes to color, tints and tones. I look at something one way and see that it would look great if it were black, but you think that it needs to be blue or red.
We see things differently.
Our idea of good and bad are different. Is it gray or is it gray?
Is it closer to white or is it closer to black?
I think setting down at breakfast on Saturday morning and having a big slice of ham, hash browns, eggs (egg beaters in my case), and along with a couple slices of toast, orange juice and coffee is a nice way to start the day.
You however might think that this is gluttony, it is way too much food and gluttony is a sin.
What is good for me is not good for you.
Now is this black and white, or is it a shade of gray?
Romans 14:1-4; Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. 2One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. 4Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
The bible is clear that we are not to judge. What is black and white is clear to them. But it may seem to be off color to you. It could appear to be gray to you.
Paul is trying to instill on us that some of us are weak in our faith and others are stronger. Some of us try to make ourselves look better than we are by putting our standards on others.
If we are truly honest with our selves, we will realize that we all have strengths and weaknesses.
We need to do a self-exam of our spiritual condition. Where are we strong and what are our weaknesses?
We can get caught up in the gray areas. What is right or wrong for us and if that applies to everyone. We need to stop and ask if we can go and do something without sinning against others.
Will my actions be of help or a hindrance to others?
If I’m not convicted of it my self, but it could cause someone else to falter if they see me do it, is it wrong for me to do?
The weak faith or immature faith is not to be judge by us; we are to pray for growth for that person. We are to council and disciple with out judgment on our part.
Most of the gray comes from our opinions and personal standards; they should be considered and used for growth in our personal live and in our spiritual growth.
We all have our own way of looking at things; we don’t need to build up walls of disagreement, but bridges of understanding.
Certainly some issues are central to the faith and worth fighting for, but many are based on individual differences and should not be legislated to others.
Our principle should be: In essentials, unity;
in nonessentials, liberty, in everything, love.
I talked about my breakfast and how I enjoyed a big slice of ham; some people think that ham is unclean, so if I deliberately eat ham in front of them, I feel that I have sinned. Just because it caused them discomfort and my intentions were on purpose.
If I have acted in a non-loving way towards them and that is wrong in God’s eyes.
God has put some real hard guide lines down to us. We can look at the Ten Commandments:
1. Have no other gods.
2. Do not make idols to worship
3. Don’t misuse the name of God
4. Keep the Sabbath Holy
5. Honor your Parents
6. Do not murder
7. Do not commit adultery
8. Don’t steal
9. Don’t give false testimony
10. Do not covet.
Black and white, no gray here, this is the way it is, period.
Some people start to mix a little gray into what they read. They start to judge others on what they are doing.
Eating “everything” may refer to freedom from dietary restriction, or it may have referred to eating meat offered to idols, while the person weaker in the faith eats only vegetables and refuses to eat meat that has been offered to idols.
Not all of the meat that was sacrificed to idols ended up on the altar, just a portion of it did, the rest was sent to the market to be sold. Some Christians would research to find out where the meat came from, while others just gave up eating meat all together.
A person of strong faith believed that God had blessed and cleansed the portion and ate it. The weaker believer was more cautious and just ate vegetables.
Which one is wrong and which one is right?
When we start of judge one another, we are comparing them to our beliefs and our standards. We are expecting them to live up to what we believe.
Romans 14:17-18: For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.
Don’t put your self into the Lord’s place. We are not to judge someone else servant.
When we do we are shading them with our gray, our standards and ideology.
Matthew 22:36-40; 36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
37Jesus replied: " `Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: `Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Get rid of the gray, let the Lord do the judging, we are to “Love our neighbor as our selves.”
Treat others the way you want them to treat you, with love and understanding.
Matthew 7:1-2; 1"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
James 4:12; 12There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you--who are you to judge your neighbor?
Get rid of the gray, get rid of attitude of self-righteousness, let the Judge be the Judge and we can be His servants.
The trouble with gray is that it is not white. It is not washed in Christ’s blood to be made whiter than snow.
