Ever looked at the tag on the inside of a hat? It reads *ONE SIZE FITS ALL. [You can find similar tags on stuff like arm/leg bands, tube dresses, fanny packs, and other elastic treasures].
Frankly, those tags kind of tick me off. Why? Because I have a disproportionately large head. A big noggin'. Like to the point where a lot of elastic headbands give me throbbing headaches after a couple hours of wear. And hats never, EVER look good on me. Everrrrrrr.
ONE SIZE FITS ALL? Liars.
Dermatologists [and beauty magazines] tell us it's really important to use facial moisturizer. I have oily skin, but against my better judgement I decided that those anonymous doctors and editors knew best and used Cetaphil lotion on my face this morning. Made my face so greasy that by 3 pm this afternoon I needed sunglasses to block the glare coming off my cheeks and nose when I looked down at my feet. Case in point: facial moisturizers, like hats, are not for everyone.
What else? Health gurus [though the advice does change monthly, if not weekly] tell us to eat lots of whole grains for fiber, greek yogurt for healthy digestion, almonds and walnuts for omega-3's (or 6's? I get them confused), and citrus fruits for important vitamins. WELL, for a period of about six years I just so happened to be allergic to ALL of those things. Gluten, wheat, milk, citrus fruits, and tree nuts. Instead of healthy digestion and a well-nourished body, I got rashes, headaches, head colds, sore throats, and a stomach so bloated you'd think I sucked on a helium tank for lunch. Bad health advice for the vast majority of people? No. But what was wonderfully healthy for most people was death on a plate, for me.
All these "exceptions to the rule" got me thinking. Can Christianity be like that?
I think so.
Since God desires relationship [not religion], many facets of the Christian life aren't dictated by universals [think outside the 10 Commandments and anything else strictly labeled in the Bible as sin]. We have choice. Yet, people love rules. We love rules that say "This is OK for everyone." and "No one can do this." Black and white. Rules make us comfortable and we don't have to be in real relationship with God when we have a list of rules.
Relationships have nuances. They're gray. We don't treat all of our friends or family members the same. My mom and I have a completely different relationship than my brother and mom do. I share and do different things with different friends. I think [in some ways] Christ is like that with us as believers.
Examples?
1) I don't drink alcohol anymore. It's not because I think anyone who does drink is going to Hell or because I hate beer [which I do. the smell AND taste]. I have a family history of alcoholism and I feel it's a slippery slope for me. I have many Christian friends who partake in a drink every once in awhile without any conviction.
2) I have Christian friends who have stopped listening to secular music altogether. They don't think it's necessarily sinful, they have just discerned for themselves that their hearts are taken away from God by certain songs and lyrics. They don't look down on me for my array of Pandora stations. God hasn't told me that's not OK. When/if He does, I will be listening.
3) Well, I'm starting to feel convicted about watching movies...Now, before you think I'm turning all extreme and conservative, let me explain. When I watch movies I get really dissatisfied with my life. I want to look different, to have a different job, hometown, dating situation, personality...whatever. I watched Soul Surfer a few weeks ago--and by the end of the film I halfheartedly wished I only had one arm and lived somewhere tropical with beach hair and an extremely good looking family. Or I even watched the new Disney Tangled and found myself thinking, "I wish I had long hair. Why did I cut my hair? Would I look good as a blonde?" Sounds ridiculous, I know. I would never tell anyone else that it's a sin to watch movies. But for me movies seem bring about discontent...and I think that's not something God wants for me. Will I stop watching them? Who knows.
There are lots of other "gray" areas I've heard people talk about. People wanting to make absolute rules for Christians about dancing, jewelry, TV shows, vocabulary, Internet sites, dating, tattoos/piercings, clothing choices, careers, etc. I've seen it create huge divisions between believers and churches as a whole.
When it comes to those gray areas--areas God hasn't explicitly said in His Word are sinful--then I think we have to pray about them and trust that the Holy Spirit will convict us individually in His perfect timing. And when He tells us something is not OK for us [even if it's OK for our uncles, best friends, or pastors], we should accept it instead of making it an absolute truth for every other Christian we know.
23 “Everything is permissible for me”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”—but I will not be mastered by anything. -1 Cor 10:23
What are your exceptions to *ONE SIZE FITS ALL?
Frankly, those tags kind of tick me off. Why? Because I have a disproportionately large head. A big noggin'. Like to the point where a lot of elastic headbands give me throbbing headaches after a couple hours of wear. And hats never, EVER look good on me. Everrrrrrr.
ONE SIZE FITS ALL? Liars.
Dermatologists [and beauty magazines] tell us it's really important to use facial moisturizer. I have oily skin, but against my better judgement I decided that those anonymous doctors and editors knew best and used Cetaphil lotion on my face this morning. Made my face so greasy that by 3 pm this afternoon I needed sunglasses to block the glare coming off my cheeks and nose when I looked down at my feet. Case in point: facial moisturizers, like hats, are not for everyone.
What else? Health gurus [though the advice does change monthly, if not weekly] tell us to eat lots of whole grains for fiber, greek yogurt for healthy digestion, almonds and walnuts for omega-3's (or 6's? I get them confused), and citrus fruits for important vitamins. WELL, for a period of about six years I just so happened to be allergic to ALL of those things. Gluten, wheat, milk, citrus fruits, and tree nuts. Instead of healthy digestion and a well-nourished body, I got rashes, headaches, head colds, sore throats, and a stomach so bloated you'd think I sucked on a helium tank for lunch. Bad health advice for the vast majority of people? No. But what was wonderfully healthy for most people was death on a plate, for me.
All these "exceptions to the rule" got me thinking. Can Christianity be like that?
I think so.
Since God desires relationship [not religion], many facets of the Christian life aren't dictated by universals [think outside the 10 Commandments and anything else strictly labeled in the Bible as sin]. We have choice. Yet, people love rules. We love rules that say "This is OK for everyone." and "No one can do this." Black and white. Rules make us comfortable and we don't have to be in real relationship with God when we have a list of rules.
Relationships have nuances. They're gray. We don't treat all of our friends or family members the same. My mom and I have a completely different relationship than my brother and mom do. I share and do different things with different friends. I think [in some ways] Christ is like that with us as believers.
Examples?
1) I don't drink alcohol anymore. It's not because I think anyone who does drink is going to Hell or because I hate beer [which I do. the smell AND taste]. I have a family history of alcoholism and I feel it's a slippery slope for me. I have many Christian friends who partake in a drink every once in awhile without any conviction.
2) I have Christian friends who have stopped listening to secular music altogether. They don't think it's necessarily sinful, they have just discerned for themselves that their hearts are taken away from God by certain songs and lyrics. They don't look down on me for my array of Pandora stations. God hasn't told me that's not OK. When/if He does, I will be listening.
3) Well, I'm starting to feel convicted about watching movies...Now, before you think I'm turning all extreme and conservative, let me explain. When I watch movies I get really dissatisfied with my life. I want to look different, to have a different job, hometown, dating situation, personality...whatever. I watched Soul Surfer a few weeks ago--and by the end of the film I halfheartedly wished I only had one arm and lived somewhere tropical with beach hair and an extremely good looking family. Or I even watched the new Disney Tangled and found myself thinking, "I wish I had long hair. Why did I cut my hair? Would I look good as a blonde?" Sounds ridiculous, I know. I would never tell anyone else that it's a sin to watch movies. But for me movies seem bring about discontent...and I think that's not something God wants for me. Will I stop watching them? Who knows.
There are lots of other "gray" areas I've heard people talk about. People wanting to make absolute rules for Christians about dancing, jewelry, TV shows, vocabulary, Internet sites, dating, tattoos/piercings, clothing choices, careers, etc. I've seen it create huge divisions between believers and churches as a whole.
When it comes to those gray areas--areas God hasn't explicitly said in His Word are sinful--then I think we have to pray about them and trust that the Holy Spirit will convict us individually in His perfect timing. And when He tells us something is not OK for us [even if it's OK for our uncles, best friends, or pastors], we should accept it instead of making it an absolute truth for every other Christian we know.
23 “Everything is permissible for me”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”—but I will not be mastered by anything. -1 Cor 10:23
What are your exceptions to *ONE SIZE FITS ALL?
Hi Kayla! I loved your blog today! The movie section was very true! I catch myself saying those same things to myself after i watch movies. Like..hum should i grow my hair out? ah, i wish i looked like that girl..and it does make you feel like you wish you wouldnt have even watched the movie! We will be in Mitchell for three weeks and I would love to go for coffee with you sometime!!(or dessert :) )
ReplyDeleteVery true! I love what you said about praying about the "gray areas" and letting God direct us through the Holy Spirit. I think gaining that personal witness is the key. I think God ALWAYS wants us to gain that personal witness and conviction...even about the things explicitly outlined in scripture. God wants us to personally understand and have faith in all His commandments, whether universal or personal. Along with that, I think that once He has given us that conviction, it's so important to be obedient and faithful to that. Once God has separated the gray areas into black and white, we need to stay in the light!
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