Day 86: "Good Enough For .... Who or What"
Read: Mark 10:17 - 18
What is 'good enough' anyway? Is that a personal issue like when we say
"I am or he is or she is good enough for whatever 'it' was? Is that a
way that mankind turns to in an effort to try and tear someone down
"They will never be 'good enough' to make any kind of difference
anywhere at anytime"? I mean those are some extraordinary words when
used in such remarkably negative ways. It is our way of mocking and
bringing ridicule into a situation we seek to me more judgmental about
than compassionate to. There have been more than one person along the
breadth of my own life who have been within six inches of my face
telling me "You will never be good enough, don't try!"
So, I
ask each of you to consider for yourselves: "What is 'Good Enough'
anyway? Good enough to do this but not good enough to do that? I am
'good enough' to stand in this spot on the floor but not nearly 'good
enough' to stand in that other spot that is only six inches away from
me? Why what makes one spot on the floor more 'good enough' than the
other? Is it because we as mankind try to spend too much time trying to
control each and every aspect of our environment? Are we feeling in some
small way threatened by what might happen if I decide to move six
inches closer?
17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran
up and knelt before him, and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do
to inherit eternal life?’ 18Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good?
No one is good but God alone. (Mark 10:17 - 18)
Jesus'
response to the man's inquiry seems to be a rather abrupt one 'Why do
you call me good? 'Why do you call me good enough? 'Why do you call me
good enough for you or anyone else for that matter'? Not good enough for
man, just good enough for God because only God is good enough for all!
When I ponder the scope or magnitude of this amazing revelation, I come
to realize a valuable series of extraordinary truths:
1) I
will never, along the course of my lifetime, ever be good enough for
every one! I may struggle mightily to achieve such an end, however, my
effort will never be enough!
2) Jesus said that he was not good
enough for the man, that only God was good. I need to place the fullest
measure of my faith and trust and hope into the hands of the only good
God there has ever been. There will never be another God more 'good enough' for me or for you!
3) I will never be 'good enough' for God. When I read the Gospel, I see
how Jesus kept raising the standard of what constitutes 'Good Enough'
for everyone. Since I cannot ever be 'good enough' for everyone but I am
always 'good enough' for a good God, I will strive so much more toward meeting and achieving this higher standard of living.
4) What astoundingly Good News!
All of God's great goodness is given to everyone as His free gift when
we trust in Him and Him alone (Psalm 118:8). That is when I am 'good
enough' for God and God alone! What an awesome breath of release and
relief!
Let us pray: Redeeming God, I confess to you that I
struggle too hard to be 'good enough' to eyes of my mother and my
father, to the eyes of my brothers and my sisters, to the eyes of my
neighbors. Have compassion upon struggles and forgive them as You
forgive all things. Open my eyes that I may see, my ears that I may
hear, my spirit that I may receive and my mouth that I may speak the
truth that I will always and forever be 'good enough' for you. In the
good name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and my Savior who was, is, ever shall be 'good enough' for me.
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Read: Mark 10:17 - 18
What is 'good enough' anyway? Is that a personal issue like when we say "I am or he is or she is good enough for whatever 'it' was? Is that a way that mankind turns to in an effort to try and tear someone down "They will never be 'good enough' to make any kind of difference anywhere at anytime"? I mean those are some extraordinary words when used in such remarkably negative ways. It is our way of mocking and bringing ridicule into a situation we seek to me more judgmental about than compassionate to. There have been more than one person along the breadth of my own life who have been within six inches of my face telling me "You will never be good enough, don't try!"
So, I ask each of you to consider for yourselves: "What is 'Good Enough' anyway? Good enough to do this but not good enough to do that? I am 'good enough' to stand in this spot on the floor but not nearly 'good enough' to stand in that other spot that is only six inches away from me? Why what makes one spot on the floor more 'good enough' than the other? Is it because we as mankind try to spend too much time trying to control each and every aspect of our environment? Are we feeling in some small way threatened by what might happen if I decide to move six inches closer?
17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ 18Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. (Mark 10:17 - 18)
Jesus' response to the man's inquiry seems to be a rather abrupt one 'Why do you call me good? 'Why do you call me good enough? 'Why do you call me good enough for you or anyone else for that matter'? Not good enough for man, just good enough for God because only God is good enough for all! When I ponder the scope or magnitude of this amazing revelation, I come to realize a valuable series of extraordinary truths:
1) I will never, along the course of my lifetime, ever be good enough for every one! I may struggle mightily to achieve such an end, however, my effort will never be enough!
2) Jesus said that he was not good enough for the man, that only God was good. I need to place the fullest measure of my faith and trust and hope into the hands of the only good God there has ever been. There will never be another God more 'good enough' for me or for you!
3) I will never be 'good enough' for God. When I read the Gospel, I see how Jesus kept raising the standard of what constitutes 'Good Enough' for everyone. Since I cannot ever be 'good enough' for everyone but I am always 'good enough' for a good God, I will strive so much more toward meeting and achieving this higher standard of living.
4) What astoundingly Good News! All of God's great goodness is given to everyone as His free gift when we trust in Him and Him alone (Psalm 118:8). That is when I am 'good enough' for God and God alone! What an awesome breath of release and relief!
Let us pray: Redeeming God, I confess to you that I struggle too hard to be 'good enough' to eyes of my mother and my father, to the eyes of my brothers and my sisters, to the eyes of my neighbors. Have compassion upon struggles and forgive them as You forgive all things. Open my eyes that I may see, my ears that I may hear, my spirit that I may receive and my mouth that I may speak the truth that I will always and forever be 'good enough' for you. In the good name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and my Savior who was, is, ever shall be 'good enough' for me.
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