It was a Saturday morning and I wanted a littl extra pocket money. That's why I volunteered for the job.

It was quite good fun sweeping the bits and pieces, and in any case, it was in pleasant surroundings. I thought I was doing quite a good job and then he came along.

"How are you getting on?"

"Well, I'm doing my best" - I thought that sounded like the right thing to say, and in any case, it was true.

"That's just the trouble," he replied, "so many people are doing their best - and getting nowhere. In any case, the best is not good enough."

I was a bit puzzled and I suppose he saw this by the look of my face.

"For instance," he said, "see if you can answer this question. How do you become a true Christian?"

I thought for a moment. "Well, I suppose it's much the same, do your best."

"Is that what you are doing? Are you doing your best?"

"Well, yes - at any rate, at most times I'm doing my best."

"And how does it turn out? Are you satisfied?"

I found it convenient to stoop down and pick up one or two bits that the broom did not seem to move, then I shuffled and said, "Well it doesn't always turn out too good and I suppose, to be honest, I am not always satisfied."

"And if you're not satisfied with your best, do you think Yahweh is?" he questioned.

That was a pretty straight blow, but before I could answer he went on.

"I knew a jolly fine man who went to have his hair cut one day. The barber talked about everything. The weather was fine, other people were going away on holiday, but, he grumbled, he had to stay to look after his shop. To the barber's surprise my friend said, 'Now here is a fair offer. I promise to be at your shop tomorrow morning and you can take the day off and I will attend to your customers.' The barber was surprised! He had never heard anybody make this suggestion before. 'But sir,' he said, 'can you cut hair?' My friend replied, 'Well, I've never done it before, but I'll try hard, and I promise you I'll do my best.' The barber stood back and looked pretty blank for the moment and said, 'But haircutting, sir, is a skilled job, you know.' 'I'm sure it is,' my friend replied, 'but I've told you, I'll do my best.' The barber then said, 'It is very kind of you, sir, but I don't want to lose all my customers, and you see, it's not just a case of doing your best, it's knowing how to do the job and doing it the right way that counts.' 'What?' said my friend, 'are you not satisfied with my offer to do my best?' 'No, thank you,' said the barber.

'Then do you think that Yahweh will be satisfied when you if you say to Him - I'm doing my best? He has said that your best is not good enough. "There is none that doeth good, no not one...for there is no difference, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of Elohim (God)." That is why Yahweh sent His Son, Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ), because you cannot be accepted by Yahweh on the ground of doing your best; "not of works lest any man should boast". Yahweh has made it possible for us to come back to Him by reason if the death of Messiah (Christ) on our behalf. As we accept what He has done, then we can be accepted by Him. It is a case of saying "Thank you" to the Master Yah'shua (Jesus) and receiving with the empty hands of faith the gift of Elohim (God) which is eternal life.' The barber had never seen it that way.

But then I had never thought of it that way either. Now it rung a bell and I began to realise how it was that my best was not good enough. I began to think that I had been pretty dim not to have seen it before, and so there and then I clinched the matter on the spot.

It was a very simple prayer that I offered, thanking the Yah'shua (Jesus) for dying on my behalf and asking Him to come into my heart - for my friend had assured me on the authority of Yahweh's Word that if I did so, the Master would come in. He said that to believe on the Yah'shus the Messiah (Jesus Christ) was to receive Him, and in receiving Him you told Him quite clearly that no longer would you rely upon what you did yourself, but accept His death as being for you.

Now I am glad, and I wouldn't change places with anybody else. Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) has become real to me as a personal Saviour and I know what He has done for me he can do for every other fellow and girl, and indeed, for anybody and everybody who puts their trust in Him. "He tasted death for every man." This is how I learnt that Salvation, Eternal Life, being a true Christian - call it what you will - comes by faith in the perfect and complete work of Messiah (Christ), and not by trusting in your own works. No, and not even by doing your best!

You can make the same discovery. Will you?