Beyond the Pale

It’s been said that “We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.” Plato probably wrote these words more from a philosophical perspective, however, applying this to a spiritual truth is simply too good to pass up. What Plato was really saying is that we are to face our fears, our circumstances, our joys, and our challenges…all with a realistic embrace. To shy away from difficulties or ignore problems does not benefit us nor does it build our character.

Christians clearly have an edge when it comes to dealing with adversity. Sadly, we seldom take full advantage of the fact that God is in ultimate control and we can choose to accept it—or reject it—and make our choices accordingly.

Our humanity makes us finite; full of limitations; lacking in judgment; woefully inadequate. Our humanity lived in one accord with Christ, however, allows us to live beyond our apparent limits. What we comprehend as boundaries mean absolutely nothing in God’s hands.

My greatest apprehensions in life are making correct choices. Long forgotten are the words of Paul when he reminded the churches in Rome that all things work together for good for those who love God. If I can daily remind myself of this truth I would not only make much better choices, I would also remove the limitations of what I believe to be possible. My choices, then, become instruments within God’s plan rather than just cerebral decisions that may, or may not, accomplish my desires.

I truly believe we must all look beyond the pale and grasp on to the truth that God is interactive in our lives, proactive in His desires, and reactive to our requests. We are not meant to live the tragedy that Plato expressed when we fear the light, but rather to rejoice in the way our Savior has empowered us to live life to the fullest; with the knowledge that we can partner with God to not only make a difference on this earth...but proceed with confidence that His plan can, and will, be fulfilled.

Blessings!

Greg Morton
Copyright © December 1, 2013

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