"After Jesus finished speaking, the crowds were amazed at his teachings, for he taught as one who had real authority - quite unlike the teachers of religious law." Matthew 7:28-29.</p><p>What made Jesus such a great teacher was more than just the information that he was sharing with his audience, it was the way he was able to communicate it. Jesus taught using stories of everyday life that presented truth in a way that made it self-evident. Instead of quoting dozens of scriptures to convey God's truth, he would share a parable, a short story that would illustrate the point.</p><p>So today I want to share a story or two, in hopes of communicating a truth we might all be able to embrace. Something that is self-evident that we may have lost sight of. First let me establish a base line if I may. Most of us learned 2+2=4 early on in our education, but what is the sum of 2+3? This isn't a trick question. I shared this illustration with the recent graduating class of Los Ba&#241;os High School and because of the obvious nature of the answer - they were hesitant to yell out the answer. The answer is five, always has been, always will be. Now to our story.</p><p>My story, my parable today is the story of the "Three Little Pigs." I chose this story not only because of the truth it shares, but because most of you know the story already. Jesus would do the same thing when he taught. He would tell a story of a contractor building a home and the need for a proper foundation. He told stories about farmers and their crops, stories of people losing things and searching in their homes until they found them, stories that everyone could identify with.</p><p>OK, back to the "Three Little Pigs," what is the truth we see in this story? Remember the story, three pigs, three different types or styles of home construction and a wolf that wanted to get in. The moral or truth shared in this story is - there is a right way, there is a wrong way and there is a way that seems like it should have worked.</p><p>Now even as a child I knew the pig building his house out of straw was messing-up, even before I knew there was a wolf in the story. It is easy to see the wrong ways in life usually. Oh, that's not to say we won't make mistakes, we will. We've all made dumb mistakes, but because we see them as mistakes, in hindsight most of us can like the first little pig see the error of our way.</p><p>The third pig builds his house out of the strongest material available, brick. Now this took more of his time, money and energy. Again even a 5 year old knows a brick house is going to out last a straw house, but it will take more work. And as the story goes, the other two pigs were done with there homes and enjoying the "good life" while the third pig continued his work on a home. Doing something the right way, usually takes more effort and time.</p><p>Our second pig in the story presents us with life's greatest challenge, using a method we believe should work, but doesn't. Unlike the folly of the first pig who built his house out of straw, the house made of wood by the second little pig looks like it should be "good enough." But as this story illustrates for us, being almost right is just as devastating as being totally wrong and sometimes even more frustrating. If you remember the story you know the wood house lasted longer that the straw at keeping the wolf out, but eventually failed.</p><p>Remember earlier when we established 2+3=5. Imagine with me for a moment that you are going through life with almost having the answer right. You don't believe 2+3=10 or 100 that would be obviously wrong, but you believe 2+3=4&#189;. Your answer is so close to being right you can taste it, but you're wrong. No big deal right? You're so close. But here is the reality; every part of your life is going to be affected. Think about it for a minute, you can't buy or sell without being cheated or cheating someone else. Your checking account is always close, but wrong. Your paycheck doesn't match the hours you worked. The hours in a day don't add up. Everything you try to build is crooked. The food you cook never quite taste like the recipe should. And the most embarrassing part is when you and your wife and three children make reservations at a restaurant, you make it for four and a half.</p><p>The last example was meant to be humorous, but the sad truth is a person trying to live life with bad information is going to experience reoccurring failure. And until he or she come to the realization that what they thought should work is wrong, they will continue to be frustrated and disappointed in the results. No amount of finger pointing, shouting or blame can change the fact that there is only one best way or in our example today, correct answer. Because 2+3=5, not 4&#189;. And being almost right can be just as bad if not worse than being totally wrong, because it seems so close.</p><p>After Jesus would finish a story he would leave his audience to think about what he had said. So I will leave you with this thought. In this life - "There is a right way, there is a wrong way and there is a way that seem like it should have worked."</p><p><i>Pastor John Rusk Mercy Springs Church of the Nazarene</i>