meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Keep the Heart

Facing the Gray Area Decisions

Keep the Heart

Francie Taylor

Religion & Spirituality:christianity, Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.9632 Ratings

🗓️ 7 December 2021

⏱️ 14 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The digital age gives us more access to the private lives of others than ever before. Just think about it: If you wanted to know how someone was doing just 20 years ago, you didn’t log onto your computer or pick up a cell phone and start swiping through their social media account. You had to CALL them, or even slower, WRITE to them by snail mail. This also meant that it was unlikely that we would know when someone was struggling with a difficult decision, since there were fewer methods of communication. Talking in person lent itself more to this kind of discussion. The gray areas of life were a hot topics back when we did more talking than texting, and they're even more volatile today. In fact, if you want to start an argument fast, pick a gray area and then make an opinionated statement about it. Watch the sparks fly! We are way too late to be the first ones to wrestle with gray area decisions. The apostle Paul wrote about it in Romans chapter 14:5: "One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." The context of this verse was in regards to Christian liberty. Paul was teaching that we need to be more concerned with our own motives and conduct than with that of others. Unfortunately, we have too many cooks in our kitchens. When people mistakenly confuse unity with uniformity, they are bound to cross over into someone else’s territory of decision. Expecting agreement over gray areas is unrealistic, but that hasn’t stopped people from dividing over issues where the Bible has not issued a mandate. What can we do with gray area decisions? We'll cover four suggestions with a goal of inspiring discretion in decision-making, encouraging you to prayerfully take your gray areas to the Lord. NEW! Encouragement for Women--A 30-day Devotional NEW! Seaside Treasures Seashell Gift Bags Donations make this podcast possible Visit Keep the Heart Keep the Heart on Instagram Keep the Heart on Facebook Francie on Facebook

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

The digital age gives us more access to the private lives of others than ever before.

0:05.4

Just think about it. If you wanted to know how someone was doing just 20 years ago, you didn't

0:11.2

log on to a computer or pick up a cell phone and start swiping through their social media account,

0:16.8

you had to call them or even slower, write to them by snail mail.

0:21.9

This also meant that it was unlikely that we would know when someone was struggling with a difficult

0:26.8

decision since there were fewer methods of communication.

0:30.9

Talking in person lent itself more to this kind of discussion.

0:35.0

One of the conversations that would come up both then and now is what to do

0:39.4

about those gray area decisions. You've probably already discovered that you have to be really

0:44.9

careful about gray area discussions. They can go from discussion to debate really fast. In fact,

0:52.5

if you want to start an argument, pick a gray area.

1:02.0

Thank you for joining Keep the Heart for today's podcast with Francie Taylor.

1:07.0

Francie is an author, teacher, and conference speaker. Sharing lessons from the Word of God is her passion.

1:13.9

Now, back to today's important study.

1:20.9

What is a gray area?

1:23.8

Miriam Webster Dictionary defines it as an area or situation in which it is difficult to judge what is

1:30.0

right and what is wrong. The Cambridge English Dictionary goes on to say that it is a situation that is not

1:37.9

clear or where the rules are not known. Things that are not clearly addressed by rule or law fall into the gray area. In Christianity,

1:47.7

gray areas would include things that are not discussed or addressed specifically in scripture.

1:53.3

Now, we're way too late to be the first ones to wrestle with gray area decisions. The apostle Paul

1:59.0

wrote about this in Romans chapter 14. Listen to what the Bible says in

2:03.2

verse 5. One man esteemeth one day above another. Another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Francie Taylor, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Francie Taylor and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.