Source/Author: Dr Michael Dalseno

John 3.16. In this supreme act of divine Grace, God was sending a clear signal that everything in His Kingdom is marked by a Spirit of Excellence. Unfortunately, God’s people do not always give their best ...

Kingdom of the “Second Best?”             By Dr  D

None of God’s gifts are defective. It is simply not in His nature or character to do anything half-heartedly, give in half-measure, or pull out of a project halfway through. So we can well imagine that when God wanted to save this world, He knew He would have to give the very best gift He had. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3.16).

In this supreme act of divine Grace, God was sending a clear signal that everything in His Kingdom is marked by a Spirit of Excellence. Unfortunately, God’s people do not always give their best; a practice as old as Cain and Abel (Gn.Ch.4), Abel giving the best offering he could but Cain giving only his second best. This Best/Second Best dichotomy continues throughout the Bible as evident in the contrasts between Abraham and Lot (Gn. Chs 13-14), Jacob and Esau (Gn. Chs 25-27), David and Saul (1Sam. Chs 9-31), Zacchaeus and Ananias/Sapphira (Lk.19.1-9, Acts Ch 5), and many more.

So, what kinds of things plausibly describe people living in a “Kingdom of the Second Best?” The following 9 characteristics may act as a guide. In the Kingdom of the Second Best …

·         Serving God is not the top priority (Ex.20);

·         Passion is wanting, and commitment is when it suits me (Matt.23.37);

·         Personal growth is stunted by a self-imposed “limitation cap” on what I can be and what I can do (Jud.4.9);

·         God’s will for my life is not taken seriously as I propound the love and grace of God to the point of unbalanced heresy (Lamentations);

·         Members are not really teachable because I already know things, do things and hear things (Jos.5.6);

·         Members compromise God’s Word and His values, with a foot in God and a foot in the world (Rev.3 16);

·         Members are casual, inconsistent, not dependable, perennially late, and even critical (Prov.6.9);

·         Members ask themselves, ‘what’s in it for me?’ rather than ‘how can I serve God with the gifts and talents He has given me?’ (Jud.17.6);

·         The ‘second mile’ is simply too far because I am very busy, give enough and do enough (Matt.5.41).

As we consider God’s greatest Gift, the Christ-Child, and the high watermark He set for believers, it may be a timely reminder to search our hearts and sincerely ask; “Am I aiding, abetting, promoting, and living in, a Kingdom of the Second Best?