By David Phillips
The HFTB Factor
That acronym stands for Hope For The Best. What could be wrong with that, right? Let’s dig a little deeper. I’ve spent more than half of my life in and around the utility construction business, and at times, it can be risky work. Some in that business are willing to flirt with greater risks, in order to accomplish a greater gain in the end. Often, it is nothing more than just refusing to take a little extra time, or not going to a little bit more trouble to be careful, and hoping for the best. The fact that it often works out without producing disaster makes some folks keep doing it over and over again. A properly trained flagman who skillfully directs traffic through a dangerous construction zone is quite a bit more expensive than just having the lowest paid laborer step out and wave his arms occasionally when traffic gets really snarled. The former is doing all he can to keep things safe. The latter is making a slight effort, and hoping for the best. There are plenty of other illustrations, from all industries across the board, but I think there’s a spiritual lesson to be seen here.
I believe true Christianity is represented in the first position, with the properly equipped and trained worker who follows the prescribed methods and instructions to keep the job going safely and properly the whole way through. However, that second position, ignoring critical details and doing a sloppy job in order to rush through a project while blindly hoping for the best, is the way a lot of people approach serving God. Surely we can see that this second position is not what God wants from us.
That is not to say that we will never encounter situations in serving God where we won’t have to trust the Heavenly Father to direct a little traffic for us. The difference between this, and making a half-hearted effort then hoping for the best is in the intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). When one loves God with all their heart, Matthew 22:37, and is truly obedient to the best of one’s ability, there will still be stumbles and failures along the way. I believe James addresses this situation in James 4:6 when he says, But He giveth more grace. In fact, the first 10 verses of James 4 should be studied carefully in this regard.
Neither spiritual blessings nor heavenly reward is promised to one who offers half-hearted “service” to God, while cutting every corner and attempting every shortcut, hoping for the best despite a sloppy approach to spiritual living.
Jesus praised Mary in Mark 14:8 after she had anointed Him with that precious, expensive ointment. He said, She has done what she could… What about us, have we done what we could, or are we making a halfway effort then hoping for the best?
I hope you’ll be able to come to Bible Study tonight at 7:00 at Redland Road, and we can all charge our spiritual batteries. If I know Tom, he’ll probably ask you what I preached on Sunday. Do you remember? Don’t tell him I told you, but here’s a little reminder.
Despite all the turmoil of the day, Nothing’s Changed.
God is still sovereign.
This world is still not my home.
We all still have an appointment with death.
We still will have to answer in judgment for how we have lived.