I have worked in an industrial setting most of my life. I have always worked on the production side of things. I spent a long time in a manufacturing facility where we produced a wood product. When you are manufacturing something you have specifications (specs). These are detailed measurements and quality standards that define the dimensions, grade, and other characteristics of a wood product. Then there is the tolerance allowed. That’s how much it can vary from what it is supposed to be. There were many times that the tolerance allowed was in thousandths. Yes, thousandths. For example, 0.006 is six thousandths, which we measured with calipers. That doesn’t leave a lot of room for error. These tolerances were important. They ensured that the final product met a set of standards. While maintaining tight tolerances is crucial for achieving precise assembly and optimal performance of a product. It can also increase production costs.
In our walk with God, we are trying to make ourselves into a final product that is good. My question is: what are you allowing in your walk? What is your tolerance? Are you trying to keep your tolerances tight and leave little room for error? Or are you leaving your tolerances wide to allow yourself more room to move as you please?
Do we say as Paul: No, I keep on disciplining my body, making it serve me so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not somehow be disqualified (1 Corinthians 9:27 ISV).
Do we use the Word of God as our form of measurement? Do we strive to live holy lives Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy (1 Peter 1:16 KJV).
Do we lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us? So that we can run with patience the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1 KJV).
We should not follow the old phrase, “How much can I do and still be saved?” Rather we should examine our own lives and see if there is anything that we need to get rid of. If we examined ourselves, we would not be judged (1 Corinthians 11:31 NET). Or as it says in another version. If we really think carefully about our own lives, we ourselves can recognise the wrong things. Then God will not need to decide about us because we are doing wrong things. He will not need to punish us (1 Corinthians 11:31 Easy English).
Let’s make sure that we aren’t trying to make our tolerances too broad. We should measure our lives against the Word of God and pray for guidance to understand where our tolerance should be set.
Matthew 7:13-14 ISV 13 “Go in through the narrow gate, because the gate is wide and the road is spacious that leads to destruction, and many people are entering by it. 14 How narrow is the gate and how constricted is the road that leads to life, and there aren’t many people who find it!”