GRAY

SHEPHERD TO SHEEP

GRAY

(Gen 13:10) And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the LORD

One of the early things children learn is that certain colors are made from blending other colors together. Blue and yellow make green. Yellow and red make orange. Red and blue make purple. But on down the line we found out usually by mistake that black and white make gray. A touch of black accidentally got into the white and dulled it and made it more ashen. You try to mix in more white but no matter what you do it appears shadier than you would like.

In the Christian life we are called to purity and holiness (Tit 2:11-12; Heb 12:14). We start out white as snow (Isa 1:18) and we are to keep our garments pure (Rev 16:15). This is why we are to stay away from the gray. It’s those areas where we have freedom but it would be wise not to dabble because that one touch of compromise can darken the Christian’s character (1 Cor 6:12). We might tell ourselves it’s okay and it’s no big deal. Or we say other believers seem to be free to indulge so why not? But that one dab can make us drab. Then when we keep on in that concession, those additional drops of black stain and drain us.

Lot was a man who seemed to mix colors. He was Abraham’s nephew who accompanied him to Canaan (Gen 12:5). When the flocks of Abraham and Lot were too much for the land they had to separate. Abraham asked Lot to choose first. Lot’s eyes fell on the fertile land towards Sodom and Gomorrah and moved to the outskirts of town (Gen 13). Then when Sodom and Gomorrah were attacked by a coalition of nations, Lot was kidnapped and taken north where Abraham had to rescue him (Gen 14). This means by that time Lot had moved his family inside the city. This is confirmed when the angels came to rescue Lot and his family prior to God destroying the cities with fire and brimstone (Gen 19). Lot was well settled in and perhaps was even a judge in his community (Gen 19:9). His family was so comfortable that the angels had to grab their hands and make them flee (Gen 19:16). His wife so coveted her lifestyle in the city that she looked back in longing to her peril (Gen 19:26).

Do you see Lot mixing colors? He knew the Lord as we learn from 2 Peter 2:8: (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds). But he kept inching toward the world until the world sucked him in and he couldn’t get out. One touch of black here. One touch of black there. Keeping his faith but sacrificing his commitment. Gaining the world but slowly losing his family in the process. And his final end was even worse…he lived in a cave and turned to the bottle (wineskin) which made him even darker still (Gen 19:30-38).

Been caving into compromise? Ask the Lord to wash you as white as snow! (Psalm 51)

Louie