I really like having good things. I have a very classy dining room table, pretty pictures from my France trip, a laptop computer with a big hard drive, Mary Kay facewash, and other things I think are good. On the other hand, some of my things really annoy me because they are imperfect. My car is missing paint has a cracked windshield and messed up trim; my bedroom is messy; my guitar is scratched; and my laptop needs a replacement screen. If I wait long enough, I’ll be able to replace or effectively repair the items that are not “good” in my book.
It’s kind of like what Jesus did for us. Satan tempted him by offering him the world if only he would bow down in front of Satan. Incase you didn’t know, Jesus didn’t succumb to the temptation. I imagine his human thought process worked much along these lines: “Hm. I know that I’m going to be murdered brutally. I could not do that whole torture thing and just give up right now. I could. But I know that Rebecca, in 2009, is going to need to be able to commune with me and be emotionally healed by the blood I’ll spill. I could give up right now or I could continue, spread the truth, and die so that this sad and fallen world can have forgiveness, experience healing, realize grace and commune closer with God. Since I want to be closer to my Father’s creation, I will continue. I choose the goodest goods.”
Obviously, the way I’m telling this story leaves out a lot of details and perspectives, but I want to focus in on this one idea.
But we can follow this example in our daily lives.
Spending the time cooking a good meal yields much more enjoyment than a quick micro-dinner.
My friend Chris is saving up money for a good DSLR camera. If he saves long enough, he’ll be able to get the top of the line–the goodest of the goods.
Seth and I are waiting for our wedding night so we can experience the goodest goods that God has for a husband and wife.
Let’s search for the things that are better than par. Let’s seek the best for our lives. Let’s endure a period of waiting so that we can enjoy the goodest goods later.