Strolling through a local shopping centre, I spied one of the cutest little boys I鈥檝e seen (since my own two grew up, of course). He was occupied with trying on sun glasses but I noted that his mom was standing right beside him, so I commented, 鈥淭hose look really good on you.鈥� Nodding his head, he replied: 鈥淢y hair is short now.鈥� His hair, jet black and meticulously styled, had been cut and groomed shortly before our encounter. I complimented him, his mom grinned, and I thoroughly enjoyed the conversation.
It was then that the lad stuck out his hand and announced, 鈥淚鈥檓 ___ and I鈥檓 four years old.鈥� How could I not respond? I stuck out my hand, shook his and replied: 鈥淚鈥檓 Linda and I鈥檓 75 years old.鈥� He suddenly became very silent and after a few meditative seconds, said to me, 鈥淵ou鈥檙e almost old.鈥� That鈥檚 when both mom and I struggled to suppress our laughter while I acknowledged his wisdom. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e right,鈥� I said to him. Then to myself I added, 鈥淎lmost old, that鈥檚 the understatement of my new year!鈥�
Almost speaks volumes in so many instances: almost finished cleaning up after supper; almost ready to send off this article; almost finished a good book... Those 鈥渁lmost鈥� statements, denoting progress, speak of growth, of advancement, of improvement; they鈥檙e downright commendable, it鈥檚 the 鈥渁ltogether鈥� that challenges me.
King Agrippa also wrestled with moving beyond almost to altogether. In conversation with the Apostle Paul, he said this:鈥濃�ou almost persuade me to become a Christian.鈥� (Acts 26:28 Amplified Bible). Sadly, the consequences of becoming a Christian and its consequences were major stumbling blocks for him.
Paul鈥檚 response? 鈥淚 would to God that not only you but also all who hear me might become both almost and altogether such as I am鈥�.鈥�
My 鈥渁lmost鈥� areas? Yours?
