My youngest granddaughter is nicknamed “Little Bit” because she is so tiny. As the baby of the family, and the right size for hugs, she gets a lot of loving from everyone that can get a hold of her. She is a tough little girl and can keep up with her older brother and sister. She is healthy and was a cheerleader, played flag football with the boys, ran track and played softball.
Olivia’s small size makes you want to feed her something good to eat. The first problem is her peculiar taste. Born in Texas, where meat is the star of any meal, she prefers vegetables. At the local BBQ place she goes for the raw onions. She once asked me, “Grandpa, do you like beets?” While the rest of us are eating Mexican food, she is likely eating beans or soup.
The second problem is her appetite. When asked what she wants to eat, most of the time she says “I’m good.” While everyone else is feeding their face, she is happily playing games on Grandpa’s phone. My daughter says she will “graze” when she gets hungry. That sounds like the way a cow eats to me, but that is my Olivia.
When Olivia comes to our house, Grandma won’t settle for “I’m good” and cooks whatever she can get her to eat. We even bought almond milk for her to drink. When all her efforts fail, Grandma makes sure there are plenty of good things for Olivia to “graze” on.
We all have our own preferences and want to make our own choices, even when JESUS offers us eternal life. Our first reaction is “I’m good.” The problem is we are not good! JESUS said “No one is good–except God alone” (Mark 10:18 NIV).
GOD loves us and wants to have a personal relationship with us, but His standard is perfection. We are told “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Mat 5:48 KJV). We can’t meet that standard because “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23KJV)! We were born into sin and can’t get out.
That is where GOD comes in! “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16 KJV). JESUS loved us so much that He died on the cross to wash away our sins. When we realize we are “not good” and accept JESUS as our Savior, we are made perfect! When GOD looks at us, He sees the sinless perfection of JESUS! Then we can really say “I’m good” because of JESUS!
I’m happy to say, my Olivia accepted JESUS and now can say “I’m good!”
Wayne Lance (2018)