Put to the Test

When most people begin to think about buying anything, one of the first questions they consider is whether their purchase will be a good value. I mean most folks don’t have money to throw around; and money you spend on one thing is money you don’t have to spend on something else.

Everybody likes low prices (well, maybe not that baby that keeps throwing cereal at Jimmy Fallon); but low prices don’t always mean great value. If something breaks soon after you buy it because it is made with inferior materials; even if it has a full replacement guarantee, that’s not a good deal. Most people hope that whatever they are buying is produced with quality.

That’s really what most folks consider when they think about value: that combination of price and quality. Some people focus on the price, while others put more emphasis on the quality. The price is pretty easy to determine. It’s the quality that is more difficult to discern.

For those people who are particularly concerned with the quality of the products they purchase, one of the references they frequently check is Consumer Reports. For over 75 years the staff of Consumer Reports has been testing products to help consumers “distinguish hype from fact and good products from bad ones.”

According to their website, “More than 100 testing experts work in seven major technical departments—appliances, auto test, baby & child, electronics, foods, health & family, and recreation & home improvement, while more than 25 research experts work in three departments—product acquisition, product information, and statistics & quality management.” That is some serious testing, but it is what has made Consumer Reports one of the most trusted independent and impartial sources of information in the world.

While Consumer Reports has made a science out of product testing, it is still difficult to determine the quality of many elements of your life. If you are concerned about the quality of your faith, let me suggest you look carefully at the first few verses of 1 John 5. John seems to outline three simple tests that indicate the quality of a truly victorious life: faith, love, and obedience.  The assurance of a place in God’s kingdom is something you’ll value, no matter what the price.