We Are All Shades of Grey

Recently my friend Mary Beth Stockdale posted something on twitter that got my attention.  She tweeted:

If being like Jesus is black or white, we are all shades of gray.

I immediately tweeted back to her and asked her if she would expound upon that for here on my blog.  We talk a lot about grey leadership issues and how leadership is rarely black and white.  There are a lot of complex, messy circumstances that we have to navigate.

So this idea that we as followers of Christ are in some shade of grey as we continue to pursue Christ-likeness deserves more discussion.

Here’s what Mary Beth shared:

Sometimes my facebook posts generate great discussions. Topics range from silly to eternity, storage tips to understanding a passage of scripture.  Lately I fill my page with pictures of our first grandchild, of course I think she’s beautiful and everyone needs the minute-by-minute update, right?

Recently a lengthy, enlightening discussion was thwarted by a young, enthusiastic, just-finished-seminary, friend.  Commenters patiently explained their understanding of a particular scripture in a manner that welcomed further engagement. Up until my young friend, that is. I don’t think he meant to come off the way he did, and maybe he thinks his ‘brilliant understanding’ ended the discussion.  But it was more his ‘know-it-all’ tone that shut it down.  That he had it all figured out. Neat and clean. Black and white.

Scripture is truth, and truth is black and white…that is, truth doesn’t change. But our understanding of, and acting upon the truth is always a process.  I hope my young friend grows into this realization and respects that neither he, nor the rest of us, are fully there. We are all striving to learn and model what Jesus taught us. And we aren’t finished.

If being like Jesus is black or white, we are all shades of gray.

Is there a truth from scripture that you’ve seen yourself grow in over time?  Something that you thought you understood so clearly but as you seek to know God better it’s become more complex while becoming more clear?

BTW, Brandi shares a great example of this on the LeadingandLovingIt blog today.