Yesterday I picked up my granddaughter from daycare. Rather than going out to the highway which is fastest, I drove on the county roads. I saw all kinds of beautiful homes, fields, woods as the road curved up and over the hills and around the bends.

I thought it was pretty clever until I was within shouting distance of the daycare. The High Water signs stood where they had been for weeks. I disregarded them and continued forward. Cautiously approaching the first section of water, I decided to proceed. I drove into the water and almost immediately hit a large hole, hidden under the water. I admit, that freaked me out, but I was in the middle of the puddle. Coming out on the other side safely, I approached the second stream across the road and quickly decided I wasn’t going through it. I did a 20-point turn around and headed back the way I came, thumping through the same hole again.

Wouldn’t you know, coming my way was another vehicle! She went right through the first puddle and didn’t hesitate through the second. Maybe I had been too cautious!

Sometimes life can be that way. Two people encounter exactly the same situation – one proceeds with confidence, the other hangs back cautiously. So much of life is gray. I used to see everything stark black and stark white. When I lived from that worldview, chaos abounded. It is difficult to live a grace-filled life, loving and being loved when I looked through that lens.

Read: Romans 14:5-9

Of course there are things that are black and white. But there are a lot more things that are gray. We are all gifted so differently and God puts passion in our hearts in whatever way he wants. I won’t get stirred up about the things that stir you. And you won’t be stirred by what stirs me. It’s a beautiful thing ’cause then everything gets done.

I would like to challenge you this week to step out of the chaos in your mind for just a minute or two. Step away from that issue that fires you up…is it really black or white? Might it be a bit more gray than you first thought? How can you be loving to those in your circles without losing your fire?

I don’t know who I wrote this for, but it’s for someone. And I’m cheering you on right now as you step away from the chaos and you embrace the stillness of Jesus.