Actually, you might call it Yelp. If you’ve used the Internet in looking for restaurants, places to do business, or possibly some shopping, you've likely encountered Yelp. Yelp is a publicly exchanged business that permits customers to rate their experiences with companies. The system uses a 5-star rating system, plus allows customers to comment on why they rated the company with whatever star they gave them. A 1-star rating means the service was terrible, while a 5-star rating signifies an outstanding product or service. 

For example, if a customer eats at a restaurant and receives outstanding service plus equally fantastic food, the customer will likely rate that restaurant with five stars. If the service was slow, but the food was tasty, the customer might give the restaurant a 3 or 4-star rating. If, however, both the service and the food was terrible, the customer will likely give the restaurant a 1-star rating. YIKES!!!

Amazon and other businesses use a similar rating system so customers can learn of a product’s quality or the speed of delivery. The rating also works for the service one might expect if the customer contacts the company with a problem.

These ratings are powerful tools in the hands of consumers. For example, if I want to purchase a book from Amazon, I have to really want the book badly to buy from a seller with less than a 95% 5-star rating. One seller, for instance, has a 67% overall rating. Why so low? Well, a customer complained they received the wrong book, while another said the book was not "like new." Rather, the book was in poor condition. YIKES!!!!!

The Internet rating system, whether Yelp or Amazon, is a powerful tool. Many companies will do almost anything to get that 5-star rating because they know the power of satisfied customers. Companies and sellers are also realistic in understanding they cannot please everyone. Some customers are like grumbling bears, and nothing satisfies those people. Still, most companies and sellers go far out of their way to give outstanding customer service and secure customer satisfaction. They'll do almost anything for a 5-star rating.

What if someone came up with a people rating system? How might that look? Let's say Charlie’s a nice person, but a gossip. His friends know he can’t keep things to himself, so they don’t tell him their secrets. As a result, they’ve rated Charlie low on the people Internet system for the world to see. But he’s not concerned.  He knows the world doesn’t care about his sad score for gossiping. 

But what if Charlie applied for a public relations job, and after he’s completed the interview, the employer looks up his Internet rating and discovers he’s a gossip. Now does Charlie care about his low rating? Gossip and public relations don’t go together. Yikes!!!  

We can apply the people rating score to several areas of your life. You say you’re not concerned because you think you’re a pretty good person. That might change, however, if you researched how others rated you on the Internet. What might you discover about yourself?

You discover that you only have a 3.5-star rating. “Why’s that,” you ask yourself?  And then you begin reading the comments. Oh, so you have a problem keeping secrets. You told your coworkers about your friend's statement concerning the boss's wife. Is that why your friend is no longer with the company? The next review says you have a company expense account, but you tried to sneak some personal items onto it. YIKES!!!

You skim the list of reviews and find one more. Here we go. This reviewer says you had an hourly job, but the foreman caught you napping – several times. Yep, it certainly appears your 3.5 rating is justifiable.  

He doesn’t, so stop sweating – but it’s a frightening thought. What if God did use a rating system? We’d undoubtedly find ourselves in trouble. Many of us might be fortunate to receive anything other than a single star rating. 

So, what are your atrocities? You didn’t lie to that person last week, but you did stretch the truth. You’re on a team project at work and you messed up on your part, but when your boss caught the mistake, you permitted your coworker to carry the blame. You get a thirty-minute lunch break, yet you take an extra 7 minutes every day to get your machine back up and running. And was it necessary for you to retell that joke you heard at the barbershop last night? It wasn’t a decent joke. In fact, it wasn’t clean at all. Would you have told that joke to Jesus? And just how many times did you misuse God’s name recently? Also, you said you’re working on curbing your anger. We realize progress is slow, but it doesn’t appear you’re even trying. And did you need to make that cutting remark to your coworker three days ago or to your sister yesterday? Do you have to destroy your competition at work? Can’t you show them a little mercy and grace? You fill in the blank with how you acted unchristian. YIKES!!! 

And what about those Christ-like deeds you left out? You didn’t help the lady that dropped her bag of groceries in the parking lot. You didn’t offer sympathy to your coworker getting transferred. You failed to listen to your spouse over a rough day at work. How many other ways did you neglect acting like Jesus?

Thankfully, God doesn’t use Yelp or Amazon’s rating system for our behavior, but perhaps you might think about what if He did. Would your rating look better this week than last? Is your rating improving over time? Are you even trying to do better? 

At least think about it. Better yet, let's put some effort into improving as children of God. We don't want to get to the hereafter and discover something we didn't expect. We don’t want our loved ones in heaven asking, “Where’s . . .” YIKES!!!

⁹ How can a young man keep his way pure?

  By living according to your word.

¹⁰ I seek you with all my heart;

  do not let me stray from your commands.

¹¹ I have hidden your word in my heart

  that I might not sin against you.

¹² Praise be to you, O LORD;

  teach me your decrees.

¹³ With my lips I recount

  all the laws that come from your mouth.

¹⁴ I rejoice in following your statutes

  as one rejoices in great riches.

¹⁵ I meditate on your precepts

  and consider your ways.

¹⁶ I delight in your decrees;

  I will not neglect your word.

- Psalm 119:9-16 (NIV)

Love you & God Bless,

Kenny