The other day I saw a car with a magnetic advertising sign on the back. It listed the company name and the agent’s name and phone number. The thing that caught my attention was the slogan: “Anything worth doing is worth doing rite.” The letters r-i-t-e had nothing to do with the company or agent’s name or phone number. I began to wonder if the sign had just not been worth making.
It seems everywhere we look, we have turned into a world where “doing things right” has become “close enough.” When our parents bought a new car for $15,000.00 dollars, there was a full tank of gas. We spend $30,000.00 on the same car and there is just enough gas to get us to the station. Instead of shopping for just the right gift, we go straight to the register and buy a gift card. Example after example – and while we know it is true, we give them little more than a passing thought because it’s “close enough.”
The Bible tells us: For it is written, as I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God, Romans 14:11,12. That means every thought, every word, and every action. But when we measure ourselves as Christian men, do we use the world’s yard stick or God’s? You see, there is no place on God’s yard stick for “close enough.” He takes us as we are, so He can make us as we should be. He wants all of our baggage, problems, and struggles so we can leave them with Him. Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light, Matthew 11:28-30.
“Sure, Cary, that sounds great. But how exactly am I supposed to dump everything on God and leave it when it won’t leave me? I can pray ‘till the cows come home and I’ll still have the same job, the same traffic, the same bills and the same life.”
The short answer is Ephesians 6:10-20…every single day. Get out of bed and fall to our knees. Pray for our loins to be girt about the truth. Get the breastplate of righteousness of the hanger. Stand up and shod our feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Grab the shield of faith hanging at the foot of the bed. Pick up the helmet of salvation sitting on the table and harness the sword of the Spirit as we head out the door. Any piece of our armor we forget, leaves a weak spot Satan can and will exploit. Put on the whole armor of God every day. He left nothing out because when it comes to our protection and salvation – He will never settle for “close enough.” If you believe being a Christian is worth doing, then it’s worth doing RIGHT!
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