A friend of mine said his company, which prides itself on its exacting standards, was losing clients to inferior competition because their products were cheaper and “good enough”. It started me thinking about when we can settle for good enough . . . and when we can’t.
As I think about it, “good enough” is okay in many situations. Bottle openers, pencils, socks, hammers, cigarette lighters, ball point pens, all provide a function that does not require any special brilliance. One is as good as another.
However, some things by their nature require the very best. Things like . . . .Heart surgeons, airline pilots, psychologists, and how about . . . lion tamers? There’s no room for “good enough” here. Can you see the surgeon standing over your mother or father saying, “That’s good enough — close him up”? I’d look for another doctor.
Or, how about husband, wife, father, mother…. what’s a good enough mother? And Christian, what’s good enough there? It seems many times we settle for good enough when we say “I’m not very religious but I’m spiritual.” Or “One religion is as good as another.” Catholicism? It’s a “good enough” religion.
How that squares with Jesus’ words, “Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood you will not have my life in you”, is a mystery to me. Or, “Yeah, I go to mass. Not all the time but every couple of weeks is . . . (you guessed it) . . . good enough.”
It all boils down to love. It doesn’t ask what’s enough. St. Paul tells us love has no limit to its patience, its generosity, its hope, its power to endure
(1 Cor. 13).
Love wants things just right. Consider a bride coming down the aisle to meet her husband, her hair, her dress, is perfect – – – for him. Your baby’s crib and blankets need to be just right, not good enough. This is what love does. It gives everything.
Can you imagine Jesus, love incarnate, saying “Okay I’ll take the agony in the garden, the scourging at the pillar, and the crown of thorns. Forget that death on a cross thing. That will be good enough.”?!
So we say we love God. What’s good enough here? We have just begun the season of Lent. May I suggest that we have a great opportunity to grow in our faith and love of God. Please check the purple insert from last week’s bulletin with the schedule of prayer and worship for the season of Lent.
Won’t you join us here at Holy Trinity Church for this spiritual journey leading to the great Feast of the Resurrection. Easter . . . that day when love proved to be stronger than death and that dear friend is MORE than good enough.
A blessed Lent. Hope to see you at Holy Trinity.
Fr. Tim
