Life on the Edges.

We like life in neat little boxes.

We want a clear definition between right and wrong, good and evil, for and against.

That perfect world does not exist.

For example...

I have been watching a bit of football lately.  It's cool when the quarterback makes a pass and the receiver is wide open and it's a clear touchdown.  That's nice.  The officials have no problem calling that play.

But what happens a lot is that catches are made on the edges of the goal line and it's not always clear if it's a touchdown or not.  The officials have to go to the video review and have a discussion with a number of other people as to exactly what happened.

This was the case in September of 2012...

The Green Bay Packers lost to the Seattle Seahawks, 14–12, in controversial fashion.

On the final play of the game, Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson threw a Hail Mary pass into the end zone intended for wide receiver Golden Tate. Both Tate and Packers defender M. D. Jennings got their hands on the ball while both players were still in the air and attempting to gain possession.

The two officials near the play initially gave separate signals of touchdown and touchback, before ruling the players had simultaneous possession, resulting in a Seahawks game-winning touchdown. (Wikipedia summary)

The officials on the field disagree on what happened.

This is SO MUCH like life...

It would be so convenient to be able to make clear rulings on situations that fall into those "gray" areas.

Different perspectives, alternate views and contrasting life experience all come into play, and the final decision is anything but definitive.

In the news we hear of religious groups who say they have a lock on what's "right and wrong" and do not take kindly to anyone who opposes what they have to say.  There is no room for discussion, no laying out of the facts and circumstances and no compassion.

It's our way or the highway.

Not to say we should not hold some individual beliefs.  That's very important.  But if you feel at all threatened by hearing what someone else believes, then what you hold to may not very well grounded or you just may have a difficult time expressing it.

Like it or not, different opinions and controversial views are here to stay.

Here are some bible passages that go along with this topic:  Acts 15 - The Council at Jerusalem, Luke 2:41-52 - Jesus asking questions in the temple.