From a Glass Half-Empty to Overflowing

I have the gift of seeing what's wrong with things. It's actually a curse, or part of it. But it's true, there is something wrong with most everything. Why? Because we live in a less-than-perfect world. Let's be honest.

To make things worse, we live in a world filled with self-important people who are dedicated to telling us how wonderful they are, or how wonderful their products are. They populate the most coveted positions of business and politics, areas of influence in educational institutions, and sometimes the house next door. They consistently hide the truth from us about their limitations and shortcomings. I call them liars.
In a less-than-perfect world, it would be good to limit the hyperbole, the exaggeration. It just is not believable. It makes people not want to listen to anyone. Tone it down. Tell the truth, the whole truth. And just so you know, I do the same thing. I often fail see what's wrong in me. I have way too high an opinion of myself.

But the point of this essay is this: there is a Person about whom we can talk concerning whom hyperbole is impossible. There is a Subject of which it would be unthinkable to exaggerate. The Person is Jesus, and the Subject is the Salvation which He introduces.

There is nothing wrong with Jesus. He is perfect. He has never done anything imperfect. He defines perfection. And the salvation that He introduces to this world is complete and perfect, so much so that we cannot imagine it. Our minds, which are less-than-perfect, cannot conceive of such perfection. 1 Corinthians 2:9 quotes loosely from Isaiah 64, and describes "Things which eye has not seen and hear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him."

So here is my confession: the person who can see what is wrong with most everything (other than in himself) does not give nearly enough credit to God for doing everything right. No, not just right. He does all things magnificently, wondrously, and with absolute perfection. We cannot think thoughts too exceedingly high, nor speak words too exceptionally noble, of this God and His Son, Jesus Christ, or of the wonders of His plan and design.