What is it that causes people to settle for less: to be satisfied with the better, instead of pushing through to the best?

The question came about as I helped my mother launder a, much cherished, keepsake. Recently she had acquired her long lost christening gown; a hand-woven item painstakingly knit together in love, nearly sixty years ago. Although yellowed due to age, it was remarkably well preserved except for a few areas around the collar and hemline. Initially her thought was to send it to a drycleaner, but I convinced her to let me first have a go at it.

The first thing I did was to gently agitate it by hand in a pre-soak solution. Amazingly within minutes the clear water turned yellow. I couldn’t believe my eyes and yet it was so simple! Mom however was in disbelief: her excitement clouded over by her fear. She was so concerned over the delicacy of the threads that she couldn’t bear to think that we would have to use something stronger to address the stubborn, deep-set stains. When I finally managed to convey to her the need for some bleach, she reluctantly agreed, but only after setting down certain conditions.

Despite those boundaries the dress came out dramatically improved. Not perfect mind you, but in Mom’s words, it was “good enough.” After all, it was better than before. Even though she planned on framing the gown in a keepsake box, she was willing to live with the remaining stains rather than risk the unknown.

Now although I was happy I had helped, I couldn’t help but wonder. Why didn’t she want to press through? Why was she content to leave it in a less than perfect condition? Didn’t she understand all that she had to gain? And so when I took these questions to the Lord, this is what He showed me:

People come to me discolored and stained, but if they are willing, I can wash them white as snow. It’s simple. That’s what happened when the first soaking removed all the yellow. However, the cleansing is not to stop there. People must be willing to return to me and soak in my presence; for it is only then that a deeper purification will take place.

Unfortunately, people set boundaries. They buy into Satan’s lie that better is good enough. They settle for less than what I have for them because of strongholds such as fear. They are not willing to let my word agitate them, that their stubborn stains would come to the surface and be released. They limit me from perfecting them, because they do not trust me to take them through the unknown. It is true that it takes a lifetime of coming near to me and abiding in my word, before a complete and perfect work can be done. But it can be done! The only limitation is them.

So now, I put the question to you: What kind of person are you? Have you stopped growing in the Lord because you are better than you used to be? Or are you willing to linger in the Lord’s presence, so you can become the best that He created you to be? The choice is yours.

Comments

mhanrahan

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This question hits the mark! Many of us live lives restricted by "what if"!

Friday 07 May 2010, 06:59

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