Friday, February 8, 2013

missed by that much






Question-why do they call it common sense when it isn’t common at all? A question for the ages in this age of litigation. Our old attorney once told me 80% of his business would go away if people used common sense, maybe we should call it uncommon sense. And the latest one I read about is some fool suing Subway for advertising their 12 inch sub, when he measured it it was only 11-11 1/2 inches long. Missed by that much! So Subway starts measuring their bread, and finds most are 12’’, we’ll see where this case goes. Next will be burgers advertised by weight, such as quarter pound or 1/3 pound. Note the small print, *precooked weight, all the fat fried out of them will reduce them in weight and size. The buns didn’t get bigger, the burger smaller. Think of it as a reduced fat burger, and have another. Feel better now? Yet things are not always what they appear to be. Arby’s substituted real roast beef back in the 70’s, and people complained, “it doesn’t taste like real roast beef.” So they went back to their processed roast beef loaf, and now all is well. So in a world where real doesn’t taste as good, 11 inches= 1 foot, and precooked weight is in small print, no matter common sense doesn’t work. Comprende?
Did you ever try to get that .9 cent per gallon into your tank, they never round down, just up. Once got paid at Sears $237 1/2 per hour. I never saw that half cent. Maybe they invested it in foot long subs, again missed by that much. I ranout of gas once on m Thunderbird Sport, and coasted into Los Gatos down Highway 17. When I filled up the tank took 4.5 gallons, the owners manual said 4.2 capacity. Which was wrong, the manufacturer who built and designed it, or the Bureau of Standards who tested it? “From the government and here to help?” Which makes me wonder why Ivory Soap floats, they claim it is 99.44% pure. What is the other soap that sinks in my tub? 99.43? Do numbers really count, or should I quit counting altogether?
Catch 22 was a book written about fliers in war, who after completing a certain number of missions could go home. But when they hit that number, they found the quota had been raised, seemingly unreachable. Catch 22! So why do we not believe that every time we build a better mouse trap, they build a better mouse? Why are their new viruses every day on my computer? Common sense tells me....I’m not really sure what it tells me. Think I’ll go have a foot long sub. Or maybe a 6 incher? Does 6 inches still equal half a foot?
I had a teacher once who gave me a C, because I should have done A, but did B. Common sense? Ever get an 89, a B+, when a 90 meant an A-? One point can keep you out college. And is an 88 or 87 still a B+? How low do you go for an A-? And why in an attempt to keep prices down, do we see chip bags go from 16 to 14 to 12oz., when the bag is still the same size? A 2 liter is now reduced to a 1 1/4 liter for the same price, but a 20 oz. Coke still costs more. What is going on and where will it all end? When a sign in Tennessee tells me I am going both east and west on US 70, does anybody know which way I‘m really going? Better yet, does anyone really care? Missing by that much is still missing. No one’s girlfriend is ever just a little pregnant, although she may be a little late.
Good news, God doesn’t grade on a curve. In fact, your grades don’t matter to be saved, good thing. Maybe that is why the gospel is called Good News. You cannot earn it, buy it, buy into it, or get in by knowing someone. It is a gift from God, via His son Jesus Christ. A gift, that you can either accept or reject. Simple so that even I can get, yet so many religious types make it harder than it should be. Do this, study that, or join this. Pay your tithes, and when you get your act together, we’ll see if you are worthy. Sadly we will never be, and God knows that. So He saves us by grace. But He also shows us mercy while not saved yet. Bringing us to the point where we make a decision. And again common sense isn’t. Why would you choose death and torment over grace and mercy? Why choose hell over heaven? And so much for those who accuse saying God send people to hell, if He did, why did He send Jesus? He wants none to perish, to go to hell. He is patient with us, unto death do we part, then we go to our final destination. One eternal bliss, worshipping God, no words to express the joy. It is better than a perfect road with an new bike and no traffic. Better than any steak and lobster dinner. And it is free, and goes on forever. And as for the one who denies God, they will end up worshipping Him too, for every knee shall bow and every tongue confess. But in agony separated from Him. No A- or B+, heaven is either pass/fail. Simple enough, so what the final exam question is, is also an open book test. Who do you say Jesus is? That is the question. And Peter knew, “thou art the Christ.” He answered correctly. Here is a free study hint-Peter was right. He scored 100%! Makes sense to me, does it to you? Now that’s common sense.
And no matter what you choose, the answer is always correct. Jesus is who He said He was, and is. No false advertising or precooked weight here. He is 100% pure, walking on water, maybe just floating along the top. He stays the same and the contents are consistent. And He is as far from the east as He is from west, no matter where you are or where you are going. And He invites you along, at no charge. Look around and find that the mercy He shows are even free samples of what is ahead. But a miss is still a miss, and whether you deny Him a lot or a little, you still miss. The same for all sinners, just as the same salvation is available for all. No small print, or a small God. When He says foot long, He means 12 inches.
So don’t sweat the details, He has already dealt with them. Accept the gift, and enjoy the prize. No one in heaven will ever argue about being good enough, but those in hell will wish they had only listened. No attorney to represent them. Or get them out. Jesus Christ, never thought it would take common sense to believe. No catches, only grace, and mercy. Hungry, now will that be smoking or non?
Oh and if you want a longer sub, have someone sit on it on the way home. Thinner and longer-hey does that mean less calories?
Now for metric...
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com