Good Enough for Who It’s For
If I remember correctly, my first baseball “uniform” consisted of a baseball cap and a t-shirt. The t-shirt had the name of a local funeral home on the front of it and a number on the back.
The man who owned the funeral home knew that he was not trying to supply uniforms for a major league team. He was just kind enough to try to help some seven-year-old boys get a start. He probably thought at the time (and rightly so), “Those t-shirts and caps are good enough for who it’s for.“
If that is what he thought, he was correct. We were just a group of seven-year-old boys who were excited about actually getting to play what might be laughingly referred to “organized” baseball. We really didn’t expect much.
My first automobile was twelve years old when I got it. It was not the latest and the greatest. A new driver did not need the latest and the greatest. It was not as good as some of the other kids in my high school had. It was not a lot of things. It did, though, run well enough to get me from one place to another.
Although I would have liked to have had something better, in reality, and at the time, I guess the thinking was, “That car is good enough for who it’s for.” In fact, it was just that.
I was just a sixteen-year-old kid who was excited about having a little bit of independence. I knew that the financial situation of either my parents or me would not allow for much. I really didn’t expect much and was satisfied (sort of) with what I had.
I’ve actually heard that type of thinking expressed. I believe the first time was when a friend of ours who had a construction company poured a concrete driveway for our family. As he completed the project, he kind of smiled and said, “It looks like it’s good enough for who it’s for.”
In effect, what he was telling me was that he knew he was not pouring concrete for some powerful or popular person. He knew we were friends (and probably that he was giving me a break on the cost). He knew that I would be satisfied as long as the driveway held up and was functional.
In other words, my expectations were not all that high. I did not demand anything fancy. Functional was more appropriate (and affordable). I just wanted a driveway.
For those reasons, he saw no need to do anything “above and beyond” what was necessary. He did not necessarily do the “bare minimum,” but didn’t take great pains to do absolutely the best job he possibly could.
So, what do baseball uniforms, old cars, and driveways have to do with anything? In my opinion, they have a lot to do with how I view my commitment to, and service for, the God who created the universe and my Lord who gave His life for me.
It seems to me that the good enough for who it’s for has made some principles found in the New Testament difficult to grasp for some people. Please consider the following passages as they are translated in the King James Version of the Bible:
And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men (Col. 3:23).
Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters… With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men (Eph. 6:5-7).
Do these passages not indicate that the highest motivation for service should be that anything done for the Lord should be the very best? Didn’t the Holy Spirit inspire Paul to write these words to motivate us to do the very best we can in all we do?
It seems to me that this would be true if we have a high, respectful, and reverent view of the Lord. If, on the other hand, we have an attitude about Him that says (at least by our actions) that whatever I do to worship and serve Him is good enough for who it is for, then those passages and many other principles found in God’s Word make no sense.
My mind is racing in many different directions at the moment. Let me just share a few of the things I’m thinking about and which, I firmly believe, indicate a good enough for who it’s for attitude that some have concerning God.
- If I want my children to excel in schoolwork, but have no idea what they are studying in Bible class, have I not adopted the attitude that says, “It’s good enough for who it’s for?” After all, the school system has certain expectations. God ought to be happy with whatever effort my children and I make.
- When I am very particular about how I look and what I wear to a wedding, a funeral, and/or some social function, but grab something out of the closet at the last minute to worship, am I not, in effect, telling God, “It’s good enough for who it’s for?” Shouldn’t God be pleased that I showed up? Isn’t that good enough?
- When I drop into the collection plate only what is left over from what I’ve spent on the “important” things all week, is that not saying, “It’s good enough for who it’s for?” Shouldn’t the Lord who gave His life for me be pleased with the dollar bill I found folded up in my pocket/purse?
- When my calendar is so filled with trips and activities all week long that I can only squeeze in an hour (once in a while) to worship, does that not say, “It’s good enough for who it’s for?” Again, shouldn’t God be pleased with the fact that I’m here at all? He knows how busy I am, doesn’t He?
- When I know the lyrics to the latest (and maybe most vulgar) songs, but don’t know the books of the Bible, am I saying, “It’s good enough for who it’s for?” Why is memorization difficult only when it comes to things of a spiritual nature?
- When I can name (almost without thinking) the starting lineup of my favorite sports team, but cannot name the apostles, am I not demonstrating a “good enough for who it’s for” attitude?
- When I can tell somebody specific directions to a nice restaurant, theme park, etc., but cannot tell that same person God’s plan of salvation (how to get to heaven), have I not adopted a good enough for who it’s for philosophy?
- What if I am responsible for getting something accomplished in my local congregation, but never find the time to fulfill that responsibility or only do it in a half-hearted way? Am I telling my brothers and sisters, “It’s good enough for who it’s for?” Do I even realize that what I’m supposed to be doing is not for them, but for the Lord?
- I don’t want to fail to challenge those of us who preach. Do I let the number to whom I will be speaking and/or the occasion (local congregation vs. lectureship, etc.) determine the amount of time I study and effort I put forth? If I am preaching to a smaller group, do I do the bare minimum and assume that it is good enough for who it’s for?
The list could go on and on, but I will end it here. I’ve probably stomped on enough toes already – including my own.
Before I end my thoughts, though, I need to mention that I am not the first to ask people to compare what they were doing for–and offering to–the Lord with other areas of their lives.
A long time ago, the prophet Malachi gave us some insight into how the God of heaven views the good enough for who it’s for mentality – especially as it relates to what we do for Him.
‘A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that the Lord’s table may be despised. When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts. And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the Lord of hosts. Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand. For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts. But you profane it when you say that the Lord’s table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised. But you say, ‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the Lord of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the Lord. Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations (Malachi 1:6-14, ESV).
The message of the Bible can be stated in many ways. All of those ways relate in some way to God’s love for sinful men and His desire to redeem us from sin in order that we can be in His presence throughout eternity.
I guess that you could say that my Creator looked at me (and you). He saw all of the weaknesses and warts and still loved me (and you). For some reason that is beyond my comprehension, He sent His Son to die for me (and you)
When I look at the cross, maybe I need to think,
“This is the ultimate and almost unbelievable demonstration of something being good enough for who it’s for.”
If that won’t cause me to my knees in reverence and praise, I don’t know what will.
If that won’t cause me to rise from that posture and serve Him to the very best of my ability, again, I don’t know what will.
May God help all of us to do as a song we sometimes sing says:
Give of your best to the Master.
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AUTHOR: Jim Faughn
Photo background credit: Eric Molina on Creative Commons
