EXACTNESS

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB)

I’ll start this mediation out with the words, “Once upon a time,” but this is no fable, there are no fictitious characters, and there is no fantasy involved.  Once upon a time, when expectations were expressed by authoritative figures in our lives, we tried our best to execute what we were directed to do in an exact way.

 If parents said do this or do that, we tried our best to do whatever it was, exactly as they said.  Back in the days when children attended schools in their neighborhoods and were spared the early morning bus rides; standing on corners before the sun makes its appearance, schools had what they called Traffic Boys.  These were students who counted it a privilege to wear white canvas belts with metal badges that had a color to reveal their rank.

The Traffic Boys had expectations to meet, and they had weekly inspections to ensure that they kept their canvas belts sparkling white and their badges shiny. Again, to the best of their abilities they tried to do things exactly as instructed. 

In those days, television broadcasts stopped around 11:00 p.m. exactly, signing off with the playing of the National Anthem. Once upon a time, if you wanted a good grade on a paper, you did not just spell words like you thought they should be spelled, based on the sound that you heard, you meet the expectations established for good grammar students. Words had to be spelled exactly, precisely right. Let’s call this exactly thing, exactness.

Exactness started with the creation.  Exactness was applied when God told Noah the specific measurement of cubits to build the ark.  Moses was sent to Pharaoh with a specific message, another case of exactness. Exactness was applicable in the design of the tabernacle and its furnishings. The prophets spoke exactly what “thus saith the Lord.”  Jesus came exactly at the time that God determined to give man a way to have peace with Him and experience salvation. 

Falling under “exactness” is the exact time, a time only known by the Father, when Jesus will come back for His bride, the church.  Exactness is of essential importance for you and me.  Included in the Bible, there are many things expressed by the highest authority, our Father who is in heaven. All Scripture is inspired by God, right? Well, once upon a time, men and women, boys and girls, households, and holy people in high offices tried their best to meet those expectations. What happened? Today, in every institution in our society, including government and gospel preaching churches are occupied by SOME folks who have lost their zeal for righteousness! Yes, there are individuals who have replaced applying exactness in our lives with rebellion, the redefining of expectations to fit their desires or suit one’s own needs, and there is both a silent and expressed resentment targeted towards those who try to perfect, purify, and preserve the principles of God.  You know what? We need to go back to “once upon a time” when it comes to exactness and meeting expectations as it pertains to the things of God.  When we do that, everything else will fall in line in the other institutions of our society. 

Yes, I’m hopeful and perhaps a bit optimistic, but I am of the opinion that positive changes can be made in our world.  How? It has to start with believers and that includes you and me. So, think about exactly how the Lord wants you to love, live, and lead people to a better place. And then, make sure that you personally start on this very day, changing “once upon a time” to “In the present time. Smile and set out on your way today, being not only God-conscious and Christ-centered but committed to making a difference! Be blessed!

Committed to the climb,

Mark L. King