Today was a bad day for TV, even with cable. Jane watches a lot of TV now that she’s limited, physically. I watch it off and on, in between tasks, and while I’m crocheting or doing other things that require me to sit for a while. I do like TV but rarely get to see a show all the way through. Anyhow, today we watched a few black & white movies on TCM.
Black & white movies are more intense and more interesting for me. Back then, they had to rely on basic plots and less on special effects. That means the stories were intense and dramatic. Usually, I’ll watch a few minutes and then jump up and go do some things I’m in the middle of. Not with these oldies! I have a hard time tearing myself away. Their simplicity is their strength.
In life, living the way God wants me to, in today’s world, can seem complicated. There are so many shades of gray. Nothing is black and white any longer. Watching the old movies made me start thinking about that. I began wondering how to get back to the basics. The Golden Rule won’t always work because there are so many kinky people out there that I sure don’t want to be done to the way they would like to be done unto. Then it came to me.
Plain and simple. Black and white. The 10 Commandments. They cover everything. Taking sticky note pads home from the job. Telling a white lie to save someone’s feelings and having it snowball. Taking God’s name in vain as a habit. Bearing false witness against neighbors or friends by passing along stories I’ve heard about them to others. Hurting someone by ignoring them or not listening when they need someone to listen.
God’s wishes as to how we should behave are all in those 10 simple guidelines. Ingenious.
Help me, Father, to remember each commandment at the right time, so I can do what you wish me to do and so I can avoid doing what you don’t want me to do.
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