Shades Of Grey (Matt. 7:1-2; Luke 6:37-38)

Well, there it is, more black and white where sometimes there is gray;
Just like those folks (like me) who see no black or white and say,
“Because I can’t perceive a green (as colorblind, I be),
There’s no such thing as color green in all reality.

The fullness of the body is not found in you or me;
The balance which we need in life is in community;
That’s what Paul meant – “It’s body-life or we’ve no life at all”,
But we’re allergic to the rest – since Babel and the fall.

So, “Drop the judgment, don’t condemn”, said Jesus long ago;
“Forgive and also give – not just a bit, it’s best to throw
All caution to the wind, and pour the these abundantly,
And you’ll find life will better work and you’ll abundance see.

But in a war first victim is the gray of normal life;
It’s “black and white”, “I’m good you’re bad” once we’re embroiled in strife;
And when the war is over and the grays of normal life
Return to daily life once more we scorn the black and white.

My photographs are black and white (though colored sometimes too);
The two extremes give sparkle, depth, while gray depicts the view;
I know a process (film and chips) to stretch the spectrum out,
To show a wider view of life and what our world’s about.

They say if we could somehow see a wave one meter long,
The sun we’d see would double be – our eyes would not be wrong;
To tolerate intolerance – now there’s the challenge, bub –
It’s handled best by taking hit for others out of love.

For there are many wars on now, where good folks disagree;
Sometimes the facts are not all in, impatient though we’d be;
Sometimes it’s more about our group whose borders we defend,
With words and causes dear to us to which we will not bend.

But most of all what’s lost to us is our civility;
We’ve lost the art of being nice when we cannot agree;
Debate is gone, it’s right or wrong, and orthodoxy is
My Doxy – so just take a hike – you have no right to live.

I grew up in United Church – a mix of left and right,
But as the years went by the left took over in a fight;
They threw the others out (as those perceived as enemy) –
I know, for that’s the action which they took regarding me.

I let them – watched them (though unpleasant were their stupid ways);
I’d seen them do it to my friends despite what rulebook says;
For might makes right to those so sure (where “might” is not “perhaps”);
I used to know that much myself – so I sat back and laughed.

One guy says, “Seven theories knew – on how to raise my kids;
No kids I had – though now there are seven youngsters in our midst;
My seven theories all are gone; they had to go you see,
Because I loved my kids and took the hit so they could be –

Mature within their world, and make their contributions there;
And not get twisted out of shape – the way I chose to care –
I may be right, I may be wrong – but I will walk with each
To hell and back if need there be for lesson I must teach.

I like the Jewish view of life called “orthopraxy” now,
Not “orthodoxy” – that’s right-thinking – Greek approach to how
We should approach the lives we live – get thinking straight they say;
“Right living” makes more sense to me – gives things to do each day.

When black and white is shunned by those espousing shades of gray,
I hold them up as vital – they’re the parts that show the way;
When shades of gray are shunned by those who see in black and white,
I sweetly smile and show them pics where grays depict things right.

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