Close enough is not enough

An accountant in response to an ad applied for a high position with a large auditing firm. He went through a battery of tests and panel interviews. At the end of the final interview, the chairman of the board asked, “One last question—what is three times seven?”

The accountant impulsively answered, “Twenty-two.” After the interview, he realized he gave a wrong answer. He thought he lost the job. But he was surprised when the firm offered him the post later. So, he asked why he got the job despite the fact that he gave the wrong answer. The chairman with a shrug answered, “You were the closest.”[1]

Of course, that can’t be true. Accounting is an exact science. It is not enough to be close enough. You have to be right... down to the last centavo. That’s not being narrow. That’s the truth.

However, there are people who mistakenly think that God is like the interviewer. They think it doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you’re close to the truth. But, in heaven as it is in accounting, close enough is not enough. You may be sincere yet that is not enough. There are people in hell who are sincere but sincerely wrong. You have to be right. That’s not being narrow. That’s the truth.

That’s why Jesus declared, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6, NIV) Without Jesus, you are lost for He is the way. Without Him, you are wrong for He is the truth. Without Him, you are dead for He is the life. I wonder why people can accept the truth when it comes to accounting. Yet when it comes to salvation they can’t. Today, they will accuse you of being narrow if you say that only Jesus saves. But that’s the truth. And we are commanded to “preach God’s message. Do it willingly, even if it isn’t the popular thing to do.” (2 Timothy 4:2, CEV)

Brethren, people need to hear that close enough is not enough.

[1]From the illustration database of Biblical Studies Foundation (http://www.bible.org).

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

God Knows Judas Not Pay

In the National Geographic Magazine (May 2006 issue), in its cover story, The Judas Gospel , Professor Eliane Pagels of Princeton University claimed that the so-called gospel of Judas “ changes the history of early Christianity. ” Even UP Professor Randy David took notice of the Judas Gospel: “Strictly from a sociological standpoint, I think the discovery of the Gospel of Judas makes Christianity a far more interesting religion than what centuries of metaphysical theology has made of it.” (A Gospel for the Postmodern, Phil. Daily Inquirer, April 16, 2006) That’s why I spoke in our Young Pro Fellowship a few days ago on God Knows Judas Not Pay (A Biblical Response on the Judas Gospel). I believe opportunities like this hype on the Judas Gospel or the Da Vinci Code opens a door for us to share the true Gospel. For those who did not attend last Thursday, let me share briefly why we reject the Judas gospel. I came up with the acronym J-U-D-A-S. J udas was portrayed as a traitor in the Bibl...
Read more

“Ubus-ubos Biyaya, Bukas Nakatunganga”

Image
That’s what my mother always told us when we were still kids. (Translation: “You spend everything today, you will have nothing tomorrow.” ) Image source: So, What's New ? Dionie did just that. Last April 2008, he won PHP14,125,032 in the Lotto 6/42 draw. Excitedly, he “lived the life of a millionaire, something he had been longing to experience. He lived in a P4-million house in a posh subdivision, drove around in a sports utility vehicle [which he bought the very same day he claimed his prize] , and gave goodwill money, ranging P1,000 to P 850,000, to relatives and friends. He also gambled daily, womanized, and went on regular drinking sprees.” (Source: Manila Bulletin ) He estimated that he squandered a minimum of P100,000 almost every day. He also lent money even to people he did not really know. “I just gave them and told them not to pay me back.” (Ibid) His bank had to issue him a special card so he can withdraw huge amounts of money quickly from the automated teller m...
Read more

Detour, Not A Dead End

Image
A dead end is “an end of a road or a passage from which no exit is possible.” Image credit A dead end, according to a dictionary, is “an end of a road or a passage from which no exit is possible.”  According to another dictionary , it is “a situation, plan, or way of doing something that leads to nothing further.” Screenshot from Merriam-Webster online dictionary There were times in my life when I thought I was in a dead end.  Impasse. No way out. Caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place. I was like Moses. There’s the Red Sea in front of me and the Egyptian army behind me. Only this time, I can’t part the sea.  I failed. Many times. My dreams became a nightmare. And my nightmare came to pass. (Of course, I can always blame others. The fact is, it’s not entirely my fault. But why waste time blaming? So, I’ll just take responsibility for where and why I failed.) I got burned out. I got myself into stress-related disorder when I pressure...
Read more