No Room For Grey

This weekend thousands will flock to the box office to watch a new movie based on a book.  A book that glorifies sex outside of marriage.  A book that glorifies the sexual exploitation of women.  A book that, because it’s marketed to women, has escaped the label of porn.  (Seriously folks, if this were written directed at the male audience, it would be sold at the store with XXX outside.)

So, if you’re all about Christian Grey and all that he has to offer, I’m certain you’ve figured out that we’re polar opposites on this one.  So before someone feels the need to defend  the book readers & movie goers, understand that this isn’t my attempt to shame or judge or guilt anyone into seeing it my way.  It’s just my belief…my heart really…on the matter.

Here’s the thing.  Maybe I’m wrong about the porn thing.  Maybe I’m wrong that it’s sexual exploitation because, according to what I’ve seen online, it’s a consensual thing.  But honestly, deep down, I think it’s a spiritual issue.

The Bible tells us that following Christ is black or white, hot or cold, light or darkness.  There’s no lukewarm.  God prefers the unapologetic sinner over the lukewarm, riding the fence Christian.  God prefers someone who totally lives in the darkness to someone who says they love Christ but loves hanging out in the grey areas.

And that’s just it.  Our society has bent the moral compass so much that this is now an area that some Christians see as a grey area.  50 years ago…even 10 years ago, this whole 50 Shades thing would have been clearly taboo.  But media, movies, books, TV push the envelope a little further and a little further until what was once uncomfortable in our spirit is now not even noticed.  Socially acceptable has dulled our spiritual senses and caused many a Christ follower to drift from that narrow road.

And that’s just it.  It’s a narrow road.  It’s a road that hasn’t widened as society’s moral compass has bent.  It’s a road that hasn’t widened as society has told us what once was unacceptable is now acceptable.  It hasn’t widened since God inspired the words that are written the Bible.  The shoulders of the road are clearly defined.  You’re either on the road or off of it.

Someone once told me that if you have to ask if it’s ok, it’s probably not.  If you have something (I call it a check in my spirit) that causes you to question if you should read that book, if you should see that movie, if you should watch that show, if you should go to that place, if you should hang out with that person (the list is endless really) then the answer is probably no.

Here’s the thing about the narrow road.  It’s clearly marked.  Very clearly marked.  It’s marked by the Light.  Do we all wander off of it? Of course we do.  We’re human…and following directions generally isn’t our strong suit from day 1.  But the more we strive to stay on that road, the more clearly the signs of the narrow road appear to us.  And the more we clearly see life’s choices through the eyes of Christ.  It’s a narrow road that’s black and white.

And on that road, there’s no room for Grey.