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Wet Paint - May 03, 2007
My friend Doug Bytwerk likes to talk about the "wet paint committee." Naturally, I've shamelessly stolen his analogy.
A hospital repainted a doorway. Of course they posted the obligatory "wet paint" sign, and some rebellious individual just had to touch the paint anyway.
That's when someone said they needed to put yellow tape around the area. Another suggested the tape be far enough back from the paint that no one could reach over it and touch the doorway.
When that was not enough, they appointed a committee to study the issue and determine a course of action. The committee established a complex set of rules designed to protect the painting project: visitors shall stay at least 3 feet from the barricades, those who gazed upon the paint for more than 12 seconds shall be charged with conspiracy to touch wet paint, on Thursdays when the moon was full the previous Friday, there shall be no painting, etc., etc.
The original sign of course, was designed to protect the PEOPLE, a caution so they would not get paint on themselves. The committee lost sight of this goal and established its complex set of rules to protect the PROJECT.
Of course this is not the first time. Once, the Great Teacher was walking through a grain field, when his followers began to pick heads of grain and eat the kernels. Some of the religious leaders of the day asked, "Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?"
"Unlawful" meant it was against the "wet paint committee" rules of conduct, not against God's law. The Savior was known to ask similar hypocrites, "...which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?"
A tragedy is that this special day was set aside for man to connect with his Creator, yet the rules were set up to protect the INSTITUTION. A larger tragedy is that many who see such rules established by religious institutions today, reject not only the man-made rules, but GOD Himself.
I do hope Doug will forgive me for going beyond where he took his analogy, but it is my prayer that if you are among those who have rejected your Maker along with the wet paint committee, I submit to you that it should be very simple for you to begin re-establishing a connection with the One, without having to buy into the other. He awaits you.
Warren Kramer is the founding editor of Daily Wisdom and operates a graphic design service Warren Kramer&Associates, Warren Kramer & Associates | Visual Design for Print and Web, which offers visual design, illustration & art direction for printed communications, logos and corporate identities, signage, trade show displays, and of course, web sites
My friend Doug Bytwerk likes to talk about the "wet paint committee." Naturally, I've shamelessly stolen his analogy.
A hospital repainted a doorway. Of course they posted the obligatory "wet paint" sign, and some rebellious individual just had to touch the paint anyway.
That's when someone said they needed to put yellow tape around the area. Another suggested the tape be far enough back from the paint that no one could reach over it and touch the doorway.
When that was not enough, they appointed a committee to study the issue and determine a course of action. The committee established a complex set of rules designed to protect the painting project: visitors shall stay at least 3 feet from the barricades, those who gazed upon the paint for more than 12 seconds shall be charged with conspiracy to touch wet paint, on Thursdays when the moon was full the previous Friday, there shall be no painting, etc., etc.
The original sign of course, was designed to protect the PEOPLE, a caution so they would not get paint on themselves. The committee lost sight of this goal and established its complex set of rules to protect the PROJECT.
Of course this is not the first time. Once, the Great Teacher was walking through a grain field, when his followers began to pick heads of grain and eat the kernels. Some of the religious leaders of the day asked, "Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?"
"Unlawful" meant it was against the "wet paint committee" rules of conduct, not against God's law. The Savior was known to ask similar hypocrites, "...which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?"
A tragedy is that this special day was set aside for man to connect with his Creator, yet the rules were set up to protect the INSTITUTION. A larger tragedy is that many who see such rules established by religious institutions today, reject not only the man-made rules, but GOD Himself.
I do hope Doug will forgive me for going beyond where he took his analogy, but it is my prayer that if you are among those who have rejected your Maker along with the wet paint committee, I submit to you that it should be very simple for you to begin re-establishing a connection with the One, without having to buy into the other. He awaits you.
Warren Kramer is the founding editor of Daily Wisdom and operates a graphic design service Warren Kramer&Associates, Warren Kramer & Associates | Visual Design for Print and Web, which offers visual design, illustration & art direction for printed communications, logos and corporate identities, signage, trade show displays, and of course, web sites
