Sir Thomas More: The law Roper, the law. I know what's legal, not what's right. And I'll stick to what's legal.
Roper: Then you set man's law above God's!
More: No, far below; but let me draw your attention to a fact--I'm not God. The currents and eddies of right and wrong, which you find such plain sailing, I can't navigate. I'm no voyager...
-A Man of all Season's, Robert Bolt
I fear I've spent the better part of 2008 classifying behavior (mine and others) as either right or wrong; sinful or unsinful. Now heading into the 6th month of the year, and I'm re-confirming what I've always felt to be true-it's quite difficult (and ridiculous) to try to have a black/white approach to life.
In fact, I'd venture to say that most things in life remain in that ambiguous gray area. For instance, I can't conclusively say that point X is where you draw the line physically in a relationship or that X number of drinks is too many, etc.
I think it's simplistic and ignorant to think following Jesus somehow makes it crystal clear what is right or wrong. If I'm just willing myself to not do certain things and do others, I lose the personal, merciful sides of God I love. I'm not trying to cheapen the importance of obedience to God. I'm merely saying "doing the right thing" isn't always so easy as it sounds.
Sure, I think it's easier sometimes to just try to live by what we perceive to be right and wrong and respond to moral issues with clear cut responses. But I think that type of approach can be kind of arrogant. It also sets us up to begin placing all behaviors on a sliding scale and we start thinking "well, I may do this but at least I don't do that". And let's face it, that mentality is the opposite of the kingdom of God.
I'd rather error on the side of grace for people (and myself!) and trust that God knows better than I do what is right and wrong.
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