The Grays

If I were to systemize the world into shades it would be something like the following:

5% White
90% Gray
5% Black

Obviously, this is grossly arbitrary.  Maybe your world is much cleaner than mine.  That would be nice.  But what do we do now?  Do we give money to the homeless guy if we think he'll use it to buy booze or drugs?  Do we speak up when we see someone do something wrong, or assume that doing so might cause more harm than good?  Do we question or accept?  Is compromise a dirty word or necessary?

"True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing," says Socrates.   Assuming that I know enough to know that I know nothing (don't worry about the logical fallacy) really doesn't help me sort out anything.  All I know is that I might be okay.  I might be allowed to continue along this road of mediocrity, but doesn't that sound treasonous?  I want so much more than that.  We were made for so much more than that.

I don't know the answers, but I'm willing to struggle.  I may never solve all or any of the grays, but life is too short to sleep through with my television, laptop, and ipod for fear of facing them.  I wanna fight, I wanna jump, I wanna risk the failure.  The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that failure, for the Christian, is an illusion.  Our truer fear must be failing to fail.

Let us turn our back on the lies, the fears, the paralysis.  Truth has been here the whole time, waiting for us to move.  It'll either be the hardest or easiest thing we've ever done.  Either way it's worth it.

Message in a Bottle

I was once asked what one sentence I would tell the whole world if I could.  I was stumped.  I don't know.  I have no idea of anything I could possibly tell the world that a) it hasn't already heard b) would be at all helpful to anyone, or c) make a difference.  What power can there be in a sentence?

Make a difference.  Have no fear.  Break free.  Be inspired.  Create.  Let yourself be taken into life.  Struggle.  We all know life isn't easy, but you have life.  What are you here for?  Who are you listening to? What is your life actually about?

My life can be viewed in two ways: a victory and a failure.  Luckily the victory overcame the failure, but this explanation is a pencil scratch on the surface of my life.  Life is me sitting here typing.  Life is working through the selfishness, sifting the lies, and toiling for a reason.

"Don't give up" sounds too dramatic and cliche.  We know not to give up.  Sometimes I do anyway, but usually I'll at least try to try.  Maybe I'd tell the world it counts.  It does count.  It does matter.  Choice truly seems to be the only thing we have.  I don't know the answers, I don't know much at all, but I do know what I'd die for, and in spite of myself, am resolved to live like it.