Have you ever got into the shower only to find that the water is not hot enough? Have you been served a meal and found that it lacked flavour? Imagine going to the movies, buying popcorn, and finding out that they had run out of salt. Imagine if everyone in the world was the same colour? What if one day you went to the shops and all the clothes in the store were beige? I would hate that. Picture yourself eating porridge every day, for every meal, for as long as you were alive? This may sound like a dream, but take a minute to think about what life would be like if everyone agreed with everything you said- it would be boring!
Here’s what the Bible says about lukewarm: “So, because you are lukewarm–neither hot nor cold–I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” Revelation 3:16
Whoa! It sounds extreme, but here’s the thing: no one likes boring. No one likes bland. God doesn’t like it and, this is the good news, he didn’t make you boring or bland. Nor did he make you to live a copycat-grey-same as everyone else kind of life. He made you unique and he created you for a life of colour.
One of my favourite movies is the Wizard of Oz. In the story Dorothy, the main character, leaves her world of black and white and gets thrown into a crazy world of talking lions, witches and colour. Another favourite story is the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe- in this story a small girl finds her way through a wardrobe into a magical world where she becomes part of an adventurous battle. If you’ve ever watched the Lord of the Rings, you will see a similar pattern. Frodo, a clumsy hobbit (very small dwarf-like creature) gets ripped out of his ordinary life and sent on a mission to save his people.
I love these stories because they remind me that life can be adventurous and colourful, we simply need to make the brave decision to embark on a journey which promises more.
So how do we get our everyday lives more colourful? And where is our big adventure, our Oz?
Matthew 5:13-16 The Message (MSG)
Salt and Light
13 “Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavours of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.
14-16 “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colours in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.
Jesus tell us how to life a colourful life. He says we need to follow him. When we choose to give our lives to Christ, his mission becomes our mission. We are taken from our ordinary every day, like Frodo, and we are given a purpose.
If you feel like your life has become dull and you are feeling drained, can I encourage you to come to your maker, the one who has a plan for your life? When we walk a life with Jesus, we get to know God and we realise he has made us special. Come to him and ask him to make your life colourful, tell him you are ready for the big adventure he has for you. Let him show you the colour in your own life and let him recreate the path for you so that you no longer wonder in fields of grey but dance and fight in mountains and valleys of colour.
I made that decision and I’m happy to say my life hasn’t been easy, but it’s been full of colour and vibrancy ever since.