Black and White (The Straightforward Matters)

Straightforward matters are not complex. They are usually simple and well defined or marked. They are black and white; good or bad; right or wrong. Dealing with them, you should also keep things simple. Traffic signals are usually taught at a very early age in most educational curricula:

Red means, “Stop.

Green means, “Go.”

Yellow means, “Drive very slow.”

There are preschool songs to internalise this. No one with a driving license can deny knowledge of the traffic signals. Yet, statistics in the US show, “More than 1 in 3 drivers (37%) admit to running a traffic light that had just turned red when they could have stopped safely in the past 30 days”. Some of these violations will lead to injuries and deaths. Available data show similar patterns in other countries.

Another example, when you board an airplane, among few other clear instructions usually demonstrated, you have to comply with the fasten seat belt sign. Yet, very often, during takeoffs and landings, flight attendants have to insist before some passengers will comply. In my opinion, what is consistently causing setback is not so much the complex problems that are beyond your understanding. It is not warfare in the heavenly realms…, no, it’s the good you ought to do but are not doing. It’s the extra food that you eat even when your spouse tries to stop you; your lack of discipline to follow your exercise routines; your time wasters that take over your todo list, etc…

So practically, what should you do?

When faced with straightforward situations, you must avoid “buts” and “maybes”, “All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” Simplify the things that you need to do and actually do them. Of the many laws with DOs and DON’Ts in the old testament, Jesus simplified them into two DOs:

Love God above all else (including yourself);
Love others the way you love yourself.

Matthew 22:37-40 As a parent, don’t set too many rules at home. Keep them as few as possible in ways that your kids can remember and follow. As a leader in an organization, please keep your policies short and straight to the point. Personally, a policy should not exceed two pages, usually one is enough.As a reminder to handling straightforward matters, I suggest you should listen to Tye Tribbett‘s song – Stand Out (Video, Lyrics). Below are excerpts from the lyrics:

“……No time for mixing light with the darkness.
Be black or be white, no more shades of gray.
Be separated, be holy, no matter what you do, don’t bow.
And even if you stand alone, stand anyhow.…….
You must be hot or cold.
You can’t blend in the crowd.
…….”

Please keep straightforward matters simple, “Let your yeah be yeah and your no be no now“. Finally, this life may seem to offer you many choices, but in the END, only few will matter:It is Life or Death; Heaven or Hell. It is up to you to choose. “Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.”