Enough is enough

You’ve heard it said before. “Enough is enough.”

Businesspeople are talking about the abuse they get from their competition. The sales manager finally stood up, bangs his hand on the desk, and shouts, “enough is enough.”

The wife is all fed up with the verbal abuse of her insensitive husband. She looks at herself in the bathroom mirror and, with a firm resolve, says, “enough is enough.”

But here’s the question. When is enough really enough?

Philip C. Brewer gives us the right application of the word. Enough is enough when you’re:

• Strong enough to be weak;

• Successful enough to fail;

• Busy enough to take time;

• Wise enough to say, “I don’t know”;

• Serious enough to laugh;

• Rich enough to be poor;

• Compassionate enough to discipline;

• Conservative enough to give freely;

• Mature enough to be childlike;

• Important enough to be last;

• Courageous enough to fear God;

• Planned enough to be spontaneous;

• Controlled enough to be flexible;

• Free enough to endure captivity;

• Knowledgeable enough to ask questions;

• Great enough to be anonymous;

• Responsible enough to play;

• Assured enough to be rejected;

• Stable enough to cry;

• Victorious enough to lose;

• Industrious enough to relax;

• Leading enough to serve.

That’s when enough is enough. And guess what? I do agree.

Let me give you a story. Donald Grey Barnhouse told the story (supposedly true) about Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes. When he moved to Washington, D.C., to take up his duties as chief justice, he transferred his membership letter to a Baptist Church in the area. His father had been a Baptist minister, and he also made a profession of faith in Christ. It was the custom for all new members to come to the front of the sanctuary at the close of the worship service. The first to be called that morning was Ah Sing, a Chinese laundryman who had moved to the capital from the West Coast. He took his place at the far side of the church. As the dozen or so other people were called forward, they stood at the opposite side of the church, leaving Ah Sing standing alone. But when Chief Justice Hughes was called, he took his place beside the laundryman. When the minister had welcomed the group into the church fellowship, he turned to the congregation. He said, “I do not want this congregation to miss this remarkable illustration of the fact that at the cross of Jesus Christ, the ground is level.”

Barnhouse commented: “Mr. Hughes behaved like a true Christian. He took his place beside the laundryman, and by his act, he prevented embarrassment to the humble Chinese; he showed, too, the love of Christ – he had this gift of standing by.”

That’s when enough is enough.

The Christian life is a life of paradox. It’s tough to understand. Jesus Christ says, “if you want to lead, you must first be a servant. If you want to have life, you must first die to yourself.” Again, the Word of God says, “he who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Now that’s paradoxical.

This is why being a Christian is not a condition achieved through a process. It is a historical event. As one heart reaches out to God in faith, believing that Christ died for Him on the cross and that through His resurrection, the believer shall have eternal life with Him. It takes real faith to believe and real courage to behave. And that’s saying enough is enough.

Let me tell you something; God doesn’t need your brains. He created it in the first place. He doesn’t need your philanthropy because He owns everything too. All He needs from you is to say, “enough is enough.” Now, I will come to Christ with all of my heart and nothing more. My lips shall praise Him, my heart shall adore Him, and my life will glorify Him, and that’s when the miracle takes place. Listen. This is not something I have made up. This is a truth gathered through my personal experience, and that’s why I believe what I say and say what I believe. And believe me, that alone is enough.

(Francis Kong’s highly acclaimed Level Up Leadership Master Class Online will run this June 22-24, 2021. Develop leadership skills that translate into personal, career, and business growth. For inquiries and reservations, contact April at +63928-559-1798 or and for more information, visit www.levelupleadership.ph)