Monthly Archives: May 2014

If 99% Was Good Enough

IF 99% WAS GOOD ENOUGH

We are all familiar with the phrase, “Give 100 percent.”  But I think we are all equally aware that many times we do not give 100%.  I found some interesting statistics about “What You Would Get if 99% Was Good Enough” (Source Unknown).

If 99% was good enough, you would get…
– No phone service for 15 minutes each day.
– 1.7 million pieces of first class mail lost each day.
– 35,000 newborn babies dropped by doctors or nurses each year.
– 200,000 people getting the wrong drug prescriptions each year.
– Unsafe drinking water three days a year.
– Three misspelled words on the average page of type.
– 2 million people would die from food poisoning each year.

What would happen if God decided to cover only 99% of our sins?  We would all be dead from our sins.  Thankfully, God is perfect and so is the salvation He blesses His followers with.  God does not give 99%.

While we cannot always give 100% effort in everything we do without burning out, I think this serves as a good reminder that we can usually give more and do more.  Even if we are giving 99%, there is still more to give. We expect other companies and professionals to do better, but maybe we should also require better from ourselves sometimes.

What kind of effort are we putting forth in our church attendance?  What kind of effort are we putting forth to our Bible reading and prayer? What kind of effort are we putting forth to our relationship with God?  What kind of effort are we putting forth in our spiritual lives?  We cannot and will not ever be perfect, but usually we know if we are putting forth a genuine amount of effort or not. God is perfect, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, and so much more. Let’s always strive to do more, say more, and be more in our daily lives, because God deserves it.

–Brett Petrillo

Is revenge sweet?

THE BITTERNESS OF REVENGE
Hollywood has tried over and over to capitalize on the proverbial idea that “revenge is sweet.”  The hero or heroine of the story has suffered greatly at the hands of a villain and may have to pursue the offender for an entire movie.  But, in the end, they get to exact their revenge.  The message so often portrayed is of the satisfaction this brings the victor.  Think of how many movies employ this basic message.

The mantras are many:  “I don’t get mad; I get even.”  “Nothing inspires forgiveness quite like revenge” (Scott Adams).  “Sweet is revenge–especially to women” (Lord Byron).  “Revenge is sweeter far than flowing honey” (Homer).  “All the old knives that have rusted in my back, I drive in yours” (Phaedrus).  They speak of the basic passion and unchecked desires of men enslaved to their flesh.  There is no more worldly, sensual response that exacting revenge on one who has harmed us.

When I think of Bible characters most bent of revenge, Joab comes to mind.  This son of Zeruiah was a professional soldier, but he repeatedly took the liberty to execute vengeance even when it was not his job to do so.  He avenged his brother Asahel’s death by murdering Asahel’s killer (2 Sam. 3:27). He was the “logical” choice for David to employ to arrange the murder of Uriah the Hittite (2 Sam. 11:16-17).  Though David explicitly asked Joab to “deal kindly” with his rebellious son, Absalom, Joab made himself judge, jury, and executioner by brutally murdering the helpless son (2 Sam. 18:5,11-14).  After David replaced Joab with Amasa as commander of his army, Joab executed revenge by treacherously killing Amasa (2 Sam. 20:10ff).  The dying David addressed his son, Solomon, and gave him various charges and duties.  Among them, David stated, “Now you also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed; he also shed the blood of war in peace. And he put the blood of war on his belt about his waist, and on his sandals on his feet. So act according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray hair go down to Sheol in peace” (1 Ki. 2:5-6).  There was probably a grab for power involved, and certainly David was not the best example of leadership before Joab’s eyes.  But, there was the distinct motive of revenge tinging Joab’s actions.  There is no indication that his violent vengeance ever brought satisfaction, but it is unmistakeable that he who lived by his sword was destined to die by it.

When someone embarrasses us publicly or betrays our trust, friendship, or secrets, our anger may tempt us to take revenge.  When someone hurts us, our natural instinct is to lash back at them.  We may be afraid of losing face with others or we may just simply smart from the sting inflicted.  Whatever the provocation, revenge is not the answer.  Vengeance is a divine possession (Heb. 10:30).  May we never be guilty of attempted robbery, trying to take from God what belongs to His perfect wisdom and judgment.
— Neal Pollard