A few years ago Rihanna performed at the half-time show during the SuperBowl, the annual contest which pits the two best teams in the National Football League (NFL) against each other and is considered by many to be the premier sporting event in the country. Millions watch the game. Companies pay millions to advertise during the game. And the NFL makes millions from the game. The Superbowl half-time show is so popular that it often draws more viewers than the game itself. That certainly was the case when Rihanna performed.

What caught everyone by surprise when Rihanna took the stage on February 12, 2023 was not her dazzling performance. Neither was it her dazzling red fashion ensemble. Instead, what captured the world’s attention was that her outfit revealed that she was pregnant. As you can imagine, her decision to perform while pregnant generated a massive amount of commentary. But I remember being struck by one writer’s observation, who said that regardless of what you thought of her decision to perform while pregnant, Rihanna’s performance “was still good enough” to remind you why she’s a global superstar.

I consider that comment to be one of the best antidotes that I have ever taken against unrealistic expectations, acceptance, and self love. Sometimes, good enough is good enough. In economic theory, this concept is referred to as the law of diminishing returns. The law of diminishing returns contends that after some threshold, adding additional inputs actually decreases your output. It takes wisdom and maturity to realize when good enough is good enough.

In light of this truth, I had revise one of my verdicts against a character in the scriptures. His name is Rehoboam, and he is considered one of the most foolish men in the entire Bible. Few people started off with the advantages that Rehoboam had.  He inherited a rich and powerful kingdom. from his father Solomon.. Rehoboam inherited his father’s wealth but not his father’s wisdom, and made a decision that eventually cost him both. The scriptures portray one harrowing incident when Rehoboam’s rapidly diminishing kingdom was invaded, and the invading army plundered the country, stealing 300 golden shields. In response to this action, the Bible says in 2 Chronicles 12:110-11 that

King Rehoboam replaced the gold shields with brass shields and gave them to the guards who were posted at the entrance to the royal palace. Whenever the king went to God’s Temple, the guards went with him carrying the shields, but they always returned them to the guardroom.

When I first read that I came down pretty hard on Rehoboam. I saw his action as a proof of his shallowness, immaturity, and incompetence.  Why would he substitute brass for gold? Brass looks like gold, but it isn’t. And that is about the only thing that the two metals have in common. Gold is quite expensive when compared to brass.. Brass is essentially an alloy, whereas gold is a pure metal. Gold never rusts whereas brass is prone to rusting. Gold is a precious metal and has its own council to look over it, but brass has nothing as such. Gold is used as a currency for currency trading and investing, whereas brass is not used in either. Consequently, I read Rehoboam’s behavior as an act of compromise!!  Since he couldn’t have “gold” he settled for “brass.” From the outside they look the same but are not.

But life has matured me--and I think there is another way to interpret his behavior. Brass may not be gold, but it is still useful! As one writer observed, it is “important for us to learn that the substitution of copper for gold is a right thing when our gold is gone, if we do not deceive ourselves into the belief that our bronze is gold.” I other words, brass may not be gold--but it's better than nothing!!  Just because I can't have gold shields doesn’t mean that no shield is better.  Far too many of us think that because we can't have the best we can't have anything.

But sometimes, brass is good enough. The perfect is often the enemy of the good.