I don't think I'm alone, though.
I think this is a very human kind of trait. Specifically, a western world human trait. Even more specifically an American human trait. We like black and white. We have a very difficult time with shades of grey. We get very uneasy with the unknown and so jump to hard and fast assumptions in many areas of life (science, religion, relationships, politics, humanitarian efforts, etc.).
Their is One who called us to a very important extreme in this life though, His name was Jesus.
The extreme He called us to was with two very simple words, "Follow Me." That's it. Follow Him.
Interestingly enough we have jumped to all sorts of other extremes as to what He meant by this. We have spent so much time hammering out and arguing over the meaning of "Follow Me" that for many of us we have failed to actually just do it.
In Matthew chapter 4 the bible begins to tell the story of the start of Jesus' ministry while here among us. We see that Jesus began to call followers, disciples, with those very words, "Follow Me..." The picture that we get is that He must have been calling everyone that He came into contact with to follow Him, because their was this huge crowd that was doing just that. In Matthew 5 we see Him address this large crowd of followers, disciples, and begin to share with them the benefits, the troubles, the joys, the pains of following Him. At one point He says, "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Then He immediately goes on to say, "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."
A candle under a basket is a bad idea in any one's book. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that you don't but a flame under something flammable...unless you're looking for it to ignite.
Jesus adds to this in Mark 4 when He uses the analogy again, "And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light." ...made manifest, to come to light. What did He say again, "...you are the light of the world."
These sayings of Jesus are not just nice sayings. He wasn't merely a wise sage whom we can listen to a saying and then sit back rubbing our chins saying, "Awww yes....very true, very true..." much like we might the sayings of Confucius or Ghandi. When Jesus spoke, He intended for us to listen and then to actually act on what He said. "Whoever hears these words of mine and then does them is like a man who built his house upon the rock...", "Why do you call me Lord and yet do not do what I say?", "Go into all the world and make disciples...teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you..."
When we take in the teachings of Jesus, and then argue over what He meant, or how He meant it, or how it does or does not apply to us today, rather than putting His teachings into practice in our lives; then we end up with burning baskets and beds. When we don't apply Jesus' teachings in our lives in the manner for which they were intended (to bring light and love, and true morality and goodness, transformation of our inner character into His very likeness, to receive and extend forgiveness, and so much more...), then we end up destroying ourselves and others around us. We end up burning down the house. Now in the exercise of balance... there must be time spent learning Him in order to put His teachings into practice. There is as much danger in running ahead of Jesus as there is in not following Him at all. Peter proved this when he hacked the ear off of the high priest's servant. Jesus also said, "My sheep know My voice..." If we do not spend time learning Him, getting to know Him, listening to His voice, we will only start more crusades. We will only take His name in vain. But, merely learning of Him is not following Him. We must hear and do.
Jesus had strong warnings for those who chose not to follow, "And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” (Mark 4)
So, "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Amen.
