Acceptable defects.

Thought for the day

The following "true story" speaks a lot about the quality of Japanese products and their quality standards. Supposedly, they're still laughing about this at IBM.

It seems the computer giant decided to have some parts manufactured in Japan as a trial project. In the specifications, they set out that they will accept three defective parts per 10,000.

When the delivery came in, there was an accompanying letter: "We, Japanese people, had a hard time understanding North American business practices. But the three defective parts per 10,000 have been separately manufactured and have been included in the consignment. Hope this pleases you."

I wonder, how many defects are we willing to accept in our spiritual lives? "Yes, I know there's some greed and gossip and lust, but three defects per ten thousand is still acceptable!" Is our goal as Christians to get our "defects" down to an "acceptable" level, or is our goal to get rid of them all? I know, I know, we'll never achieve that level of perfection in this life. But what is our goal? How much sin are we willing to tolerate before it becomes "unacceptable"?

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?" (Rom. 6:1-2)

"My little children, these things I write to you that you may not sin." (I John 2:1a)

That's our goal! May you be satisfied in your spiritual life with nothing less than striving to follow the perfect example of Jesus Christ himself.

Versus

Psalm 89:34

No, I will not break my covenant; I will not take back one word of what I said.

1 Peter 2:24

who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed.

Ephesians 5:1

Since you are God's dear children, you must try to be like him.

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Don't let anything interfere with your prayer life.

Proverbs 13:22

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.

Prayer

Father, help us to look not only to our own interests but also to the interest of others. May our attitude be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who being equal to You, did not consider this unique privilege to be more important than taking on human flesh to meet our spiritual needs. May we follow Christ’s supreme example of meeting the needs of others when You have commissioned us to do so. In the name of Your Son, Jesus, we pray, amen.