Monday

“Be kindly affectionate

to one another with brotherly love,

in honor giving preference to one another.”

~Romans 12:10, NKJV~

Alice Faye Lee is having a heart catherization Thursday in Baton Rouge and requests prayer.

Elizabeth Carol New is hospitalized at North Oaks. Please add her to your prayer list.

Share group meeting at the Alford cabin Thursday night at 6:30. Ya’ll come!

Pray for Holly K. as she begins week two homeschooling her MK’s (missionary kids) and as she continues to turn down marriage proposals!

ACCEPTABLE DEFECTS

The following “true story” speaks a lot about the quality of Japanese products and their quality standards. Supposedly, they’re still laughing about this at IBM.

It seems the computer giant decided to have some parts manufactured in Japan as a trial project. In the specifications, they set out that they will accept three defective parts per 10,000.

When the delivery came in, there was an accompanying letter: “We, Japanese people, had a hard time understanding North American business practices. But the three defective parts per 10,000 have been separately manufactured and have been included in the consignment. Hope this pleases you.”

I wonder, how many defects are we willing to accept in our spiritual lives? “Yes, I know there’s some greed and gossip and lust, but three defects per ten thousand is still acceptable!” Is our goal as Christians to get our “defects” down to an “acceptable” level, or is our goal to get rid of them all? I know, I know, we’ll never achieve that level of perfection in this life. But what is our goal? How much sin are we willing to tolerate before it becomes “unacceptable”?

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Rom. 6:1-2)

“My little children, these things I write to you that you may not sin.” (I John 2:1a)

That’s our goal! May you be satisfied in your spiritual life with nothing less than striving to follow the perfect example of Jesus Christ himself.

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
Helen Street Church of Christ
Fayetteville, North Carolina

May each of you have a fantastic week!

Anna Lee