I love to go paint balling, unfortunately, there are very few people who enjoy that where I am and even fewer places to go. So, I resort to the next best thing - shooting everything in my back yard. Afterward, my yard looks like something out of a circus: everything is painted multicolored - trees, house, grass, fence, dog (wait a minute, I don't own a dog! Sorry neighbor!)
One day, I put up a target and stood about 50 feet away and shot. Missed by two feet. So I stepped forward. Missed by one foot. So I stepped forward until I was only a few feet away from the target and shot three times. Hit, Hit, Hit! Am I good or what?
Now, you might say, "But you're right next to the target, how can you miss?" Well I could point away from the target if I wanted...then I would miss. You might say, "It's not fair with you being so close." Right! But that's with target practice. What about living?
We have a target in life too. That target is to be like Jesus Christ, our Creator, who came to earth to save us.
Many people stand way off and try to hit the Target, but they just can't quite make it. So, they say, "I almost hit the Target. I'm better than him or her."
Then there are others who get as close to the Target as possible and they are more and more accurate. Others might cry out, "But that's cheating; you're too close."
But that's the point, isn't it. Get as close to Jesus as possible and then you will be more like Him.
I chuckle when I think of what my grandad used to say, "Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades."
Very true. But especially true when your Target is Jesus. Close isn't good enough.