Close Enough?

How often do we try to get away with doing the least possible? You know, finding the bare minimum amount of effort that can be put forth to complete a job. My kids are great at it. Rachel's job is to wipe the kitchen counters. So she makes a few swipes over the main part, leaving the canisters and the crumbs that are in front of them, where they are. The few crumbs her sponge does manage to come in contact with are swept to the floor for whoever has that chore to deal with. If you ask her, she'll tell you she "wiped the counters". She'll even defend her position vehemently if you challenge her on it.

Samantha will sweep the stairs, neglecting the dirt in the corners and between the spindles. Only the areas around the throw rug will get swept, and never under the radiator. She too, will swear that she "swept the stairs". I think we are all like this to some degree. We all want to expend as little energy as we possibly can to achieve a result that comes close enough.

I have a saying I use when teaching people how to sew: Close enough is good enough. Now in stitching a seam, the difference between 3/8" and 1/4" is not something that needs to be labored over. A little wavering in the stitching isn't really going to effect the end result. But in the things of God, close enough just isn't good enough. A little wavering is a big thing!

                            Romans 3:23 says: "For all have sinned,

and come short of the glory of God."

We fall short. We just can't be good enough. Nothing we do gets us close enough to God.

So what are we to do?

In this case there is no "doing the least bit possible." It's an all or nothing deal. Either you believe or you don't. If you're lukewarm, wishy-washy, or double minded, you are lost. (Revelation 3:16)

Romans 10:10: "For with the heart man believeth unto

righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

So what are we to believe?

Romans 10:9 tells us: "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth

the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath

raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."

Jesus' death and resurrection makes us good enough.

Jesus gets us close enough.

So where do you stand?

I know in the end, when I stand before God, He won't be looking at me with a raised eyebrow saying, "Amy, I believe you missed a spot. Depart from me" (Luke 13:27-28)