And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.
I remember a time when all police cars were blank and white. That meant something back then. Times change and now they are either all black or all white with signs on their doors to indicate who they represent, county, city, or state. Come to think of it, federal vehicles are unmarked.
Black and white used to stand for something. But I digress.
Some of us see everything in black and white. We do not color between the lines. Color doesn’t enter into it. Right is right and wrong is wrong. We want to be on the right side of everything and that can be a problem. It makes us critical, judgmental, and defensive. Those traits are not conducive to good fellowship.
While we are supposed to be like minded, we do not all see things the same way. That is neither right nor wrong, it is just us being human. Love does not put itself first and that is difficult when you have to be right all the time.
Perhaps that is why James warned us that the tongue is hard to control.
Wisdom helps but proverbs can be a mysterious teacher. More often we gain wisdom by making mistakes. Every mistake says don’t do that again. Then we do it again. Something stronger than wisdom is needed to help keep us on the right path.
I will get my knowledge from afar and ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
Job only got it right after all his ordeals.
As my daughter once said, “Dad I need to make my own mistakes.”
Seeing in black and white does mean we stop making mistakes. We just take it harder when we do.