Different Standards

It's obvious to even the most casual observer that different people have different standards that are acceptable to them. In some cases it makes no real difference in life, yet in other cases it does.

For example; for the past couple of weeks my wife has been ill and because of that I have been 'helping' with some of the household duties. (I offer a special thank you to each of the ladies in our church who have offered to help.) Yesterday I had solid proof that my wife is recovering. How? By the fact that "husband clean," was no longer sufficient for her. It was just little things, but I picked up on them. Things like the comment: "You know; the kitchen floor really needs moped." I thought it looked fine. I had wiped up the spots where I had dropped food! Then there was the fact that she grabbed the hand vacuume and cleaned up flower pedals and assorted other things in the living room that I hadn't even seen. So, "husband clean," was not up to her standards of what is acceptable. I have no excuse; after all, I am a husband and my ways are not her ways of doing things.

One of the things about standards is that they often change. You don't have to look to hard to understand that our society's standards have shifted dramatically concerning what is right and wrong or what is acceptable or unacceptable. God has set standards in regards to what is acceptable in terms of morality, acceptable worship and ethical behavior.

Our society, for the most part, says there are no hard fast standards for morality; just do whatever makes you feel good. Our society says, there are no standards for worship, just do whatever makes you feel good. Our society says there are no standards for ethics; just go with whatever profits you the most. Look at the corruption of our world. Think about the thoughtlessness of our government leaders for the people they govern. Think about the immorality that is flaunted by the world's entertainment community and is mimicked by those they influence.

These standards of living and action are not acceptable to our God, even though men say it makes no difference. God said through the prophet Isaiah, "'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the LORD." (Isaiah 55:8)

The problem is that there are so very many in our world who either don't take the time to read what God says concerning His standards, or they disregard His words as being old fashioned and say that God wouldn't possibly expect us live by those standards proclaimed in His book today.

Paul writes these words of warning in 1Corinthians 6:9-11, "Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

Now I'm pretty sure that some who read these words will take offence at them, but you know what, you aren’t offended at me, you are offended at God. He wrote them, I just pointed them out to you. God tells us basically, "My standards are not your standards, and your ways are not my ways, what you call right is not really right, what you call clean is not really clean." You see, it's no different than my cleaning the house for my wife, what is an acceptable standard to me is not to her. And if truth be told, I like her standard of cleanliness and God's standard for living better.

Russ Lawson – Messages From The Heart

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HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH HURT IN YOUR LIFE?

This week posted by one of my Facebook friends was the following question: "So what do you do when you REALLY want to tell someone off who hurt you badly so that they realize the damage they've done, but you know they won't care?"

There were a great number of responses to this question, most of which urged the person to pray about it or in someway turn to God about the problem. Several people urged the perplexed person to write them a letter, so as to confront the other person with the issue. All of the answers they received were good answers, each with a personal insight, all involved God in the answer.

I can relate to this question as probably each of you who read this can. Is there any "one" right answer, probably not as long as we keep God's Word in mind as we struggle with this question on a personal level. It’s the idea of asking ourselves the question, "What would Jesus do in my situation?" However, there are a couple of scriptures that come to mind as I consider this.

The first is Romans 12:18-21, where Paul writes, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

How we treat others is not dependant upon how they treat us, but on how God would have us to treat them. It may be that our first thought is, "But that's not right!" "Where is the justice in that, you are just letting them get away with bad behavior."

Understand that if it is a matter of hurting others, breaking the law, hurting God's church or weakening the power of God's Word, I will stand up and confront someone. But if it is a personal relationship issue, I may just deal with it between me and God.

A scripture that goes along with this idea is Act 8:32-33a, where a Old Testament scripture is quoted: "This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading: "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice."

We are told that this scripture was fulfilled by Jesus, who was humiliated and deprived of justice. Did he have the power to require that justice was served? Yes, but he chose to suffer the humiliation and injustice for the good of others.

I don't know where you are at in your spiritual life, whether you can do that of not, it's not for me to judge. I believe that is why Paul wrote in Romans 12:18, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you." It could be that our prayers for others should included the words of another scripture concerning ourselves as the man said to Jesus in Mark 9:24; "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" He still had room for growth and so do I, how about you?