GOOD, BETTER AND BEST
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (Watch YouTube: Wade Hughes)
WHAT IS THE BEST PRESENT YOU EVER RECEIVED? WHAT A WONDERFUL SURPRISE? THEN GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT. THEN THE BEST!
We lived in southern Ohio. My brother was in the seventh grade. I was in the sixth grade. Christmas morning mom and dad asked my older and I to go down in the basement where the furnace was. I don’t know how dad hid the gifts from us. There were two WESTERN FLYER BICYCLES in the corner. I believe that was the prettiest, bright red with pen stripes bike I had ever seen. The bikes even had headlights. (Of course we could never afford the batteries.) We rode those bikes many years for many miles.
We moved to east Tennessee. I was in the seventh grade. I hinted and hinted all I want for Christmas is a speedometer for my bike. I told Santa, mom, dad and everyone: ALL I WANT IS A SPEEDOMETER FOR MY BIKE. I didn’t want anything but a speedometer. We never had much so all I requested was “THE SPEEDOMETER.” There was 7 of us. Christmas day rolled around. There were many gifts. Church people gave, family members gave and my parents gave. We opened the gifts. There were new clothes, I received a PHILCO TRANSISTOR RADIO. There was no speedometer. I was so disappointed. I guess I sat and pouted. All I wanted was a speedometer! All the presents were opened. All the family was filled with joy. HERE I AM WITH NO SPEEDOMETER. The wrapping paper was gathered up. DAD SAID: SON, SEEMS THERE IS ANOTHER BOX UNDER THE TREE SKIRT. My brother pulled the little box out and it said: TO MARTIN. I pulled the wrapping off and there was MY SPEEDOMETER. Dad and my uncle brought my bike in to put on the speedometer. Not only did it tell my speed but it told how many miles I rode. WOW, I WAS THE ENVY OF ALL THE KIDS IN TOWN. My broken heart was mended instantly when I held that little box in my hands. Many years have come and gone. Mom and Dad have been gone many years. I remember with love one of the best presents I ever received was a speedometer for my bike. Thank you mom and dad.
LOVES GIVES? WHAT IS THE BEST PRESENT EVER GIVEN IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD? TAKEN? GIVEN?
My mom (67) died 25 years ago. I never gave her. She was taken. The brother under me (58) died, I never gave Tim, he was taken. Then my older brother Charles (67) died, I never gave him, he was taken. Then my baby brother died at 54. I never gave him, he was taken. My dad, Wade, died 2 years ago at 90. I never gave him, he was taken. I would have loved another Christmas? They were taken.
JESUS WAS NEVER TAKEN, HE GAVE… THE CHRISTMAS STORY OF THE BABE IN THE MANGER TELLS OF THE GREATEST GIFT EVER GIVEN. JESUS WAS NOT TAKEN --- GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD: HE GAVE.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16 (MSG) "This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.
“I AM GOOD ENOUGH.” HOW MUCH CAN GOOD ENOUGH BE? I OFTEN ASK WHAT THE REAL MORTAL ENEMY OF GETTING BETTER IS OR DOING YOUR BEST?
GOOD: favorable, morally right, positive qualities, pleasant, enjoyable.
BETTER: comparative of good, improved, more excellent, recover, higher.
BEST: superlative, superior, most excellent, highest quality, more pleasing, to excel.
GREAT: above normal, beyond average, intense.
GOOD? GOOD ENOUGH? HOW DO I SEE ME CAN PROJECT HOW OTHERS SEE ME?
Judges 6:12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
Judges 6:15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.
I had a friend that was learning to play the piano. She gave up and quit trying to learn when she compared herself to others and said: I CAN NEVER BE AS GOOD AS MY FRIEND. We can get caught up in comparison and never improve of getting better. Many think if they can’t be perfect, they don’t want to settle for anything less than…
PLEASE HEAR WHAT I AM SAYING: GOOD CAN BECOME THE ENEMY OF PROGRESS? WHY WILL WE NOT GET BETTER OR IMPROVE? WE WILL CHANGE WHEN THE PAIN OF STAYING THE SAME GETS GREATER THAN THE PAIN OF CHANGE.
Please listen: We discipline self to learn. WHEN WE GET GOOD AT DOING SOMETHING, WE TEND TO THINK I AM GOOD ENOUGH AND WE MAKE LITTLE TO NO PROGRESS FROM BEING GOOD. WE TEND TO SETTLE FOR BEING GOOD, WHEN GOD HAS A PLAN FOR US TO IMPROVE AND BE BETTER. AFTER WE ARE BETTER WHY NOT STRIVE TO BECOME THE BEST? Have we become so accustomed to emotionally and spiritually staying the same? ARE WE DOING THE SAME THING DAY AFTER DAY?
WHAT WILL YOU SETTLE FOR? I CAN’T! YOU CAN’T! WE CAN’T! WE CAN BECOME OUR OWN WORSE ENEMY BY “I DON’T CARE, COMPLACENCY AND APATHY ATTITUDES.” LET US ADD TO THIS DANGER NEGATIVITY AND NOT BEING OPTIMISTIC.
VALUE? PRICE? A 20 ounce bottle of water at Sam’s is 25 cents. The same bottle of water is around 50 cents at the grocery store. The same bottle of water is worth $3.00 at a restaurant. A bottle of water is $5 bucks at a bar or motel. The same bottle will cost $6.00 at an airport or on a plane. LET’S SAY A MILLIONAIRE AND HIS FAMILY ARE DYING OF THIRST--- HOW MUCH WOULD A BOTTLE OF WATER BE WORTH? Do we ever say THANK YOU? Do we appreciate the moment?
NO GROUND… SELF DECEPTION CAN BE FATAL. IS THE BULLY YOUR FIRST ENEMY? MAYBE YOU ARE YOUR OWN GREATEST ENEMY! BE NOT BE DECEIVED…
Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
PERHAPS WE SHOULD CONSIDER THE DAMAGE THAT OUR OWN THINKING CAN BRING?
Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
Do we yield ground to THE EMOTIONS of never satisfied, hatred, greed, doubt, fear and discouragement?
THERE IS MORE THAN WHAT YOU CAN SEE? YOUR VISUAL FIELD IS LIMITED? WE TEND TO FOCUS ON TODAY, THE ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE. WE MUST FOCUS ON THE BIGGER PICTURE!
GOOD, BETTER, BEST, GREAT ARE ALL CHOICES… CHANGE YOUR OUTLOOK? PERSPECTIVE?
What kind of choices are we making? Do we allow negativity to live rent free in our heads? How much value are our personal efforts?
CONCLUSION: MY PROMISE: LET ME CLOSE WITH A SAD STORY.
Acts 20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Acts 20:35 (MSG) In everything I've done, I have demonstrated to you how necessary it is to work on behalf of the weak and not exploit them. You'll not likely go wrong here if you keep remembering that our Master said, 'You're far happier giving than getting.' "
I was raised in the church. My dad pastored 65 years. I graduated college and was married. We returned home for Christmas. We all gathered around the tree. I remembered my speedometer and God’s goodness. My wife and mom handed out the presents. Each family member had several gifts. In the excitement we opened our gifts. There was a prayer of thanks. I sat in the hallway and started thinking of the presents and giving of love. I got up and went into the bedroom. I started crying. THERE WERE PRESENTS FOR EVERYONE BUT JESUS. We had a birthday cake. Whose birthday is it? We had gifts for everyone. EVERYONE BUT JESUS. This broke my heart. I said Jesus I am so sorry, forgive me!
I promised NEVER AGAIN! As long as I live there will be a gift under the tree for JESUS’ BIRTHDAY. I was a school teacher at the time. I promised I would never allow a student to not have a gift for Jesus. In December my classes would make or give something for HIS BIRTHDAY. We did.
I promised the LAST SUNDAY OF NOVEMBER, IF I HAD THE CHANCE I WOULD REMIND ANYONE THAT WOULD LISTEN:
CHRISTMAS IS JESUS’ BIRTHDAY. GOD GAVE HIS BEST AND WE MUST MAKE AN EFFORT TO GIVE. Soon that will be over 50 years ago. God has always given me an avenue to REMIND US THAT LOVE GIVES. LOVES GIVES THE BEST IT CAN. FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE… WILL WE START PLANNING THAT BY DECEMBER 25 WE WILL GIVE SOME KIND OF GIFT, NOT BY ACCIDENT, BUT ON PURPOSE A LOVE GIFT.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
