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Friday
Tale - Whose Standards? Who is
setting your standards for you?
A true story has it that one older man decided
to jog around the local high school football field. As he huffed and puffed
along, the team was in practice.
The players soon started running sprints up and
down the field. The man told himself, "I'll just keep running until
they quit." So, he ran. And they ran. And he ran some more. And they
kept running. And he kept running until he could finally run no more. He
stopped in exhaustion. One of the players, equally exhausted, approached
him and said, "Boy, I'm glad you finally stopped, Mister. Coach told
us we had to keep running wind sprints as long as the old guy was
jogging!"
He was watching them. They were watching him. He
was letting them set his standard. They allowed him to set theirs.
My question is this: are you keeping pace with
somebody else? Are you allowing other people to set your standards for you?
What about your standards, or principles, for
moral behavior? Humorist Mark Twain said, “I have a higher and grander
standard of principle than George Washington. He could not lie; I can, but
I won't.” Do you decide for yourself what is right and wrong or do you find
yourself going along with others?
And how about attitudinal standards? When
confronted with negativity and cynicism, how do you respond? Do you choose
your attitudes, or do you just react to circumstances?
What about your relationships? What do you
expect to get out of relationships? Who sets the standard for how
fulfilling, or even how important, a relationship will be to you?
In short, do you keep pace with those around
you, or do you decide yourself just how you will live your life? The truth
is...you choose what standards you are going to follow. Only you can
determine how you should live. Set your own standards. It beats
jogging until your legs fall off.
~
Steve Goodier
Do not judge,
and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be
condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and it will be given to
you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken
together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be
measured to you in return.
~ Luke 6:37-38
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