Ian Percy said, "We judge others by their behavior. We judge ourselves by our intentions". I don't know Mr. Percy but that is one profound statement. We give our selves some wiggle room yet others have to live up to the standard of me. How on earth did me get to be the standard????
Years ago I had a friend that wanted to volunteer at our church in the children's department. She loved children and they responded to her enthusiastically. She was devastated when the head of the volunteers department rejected her. She found the woman in authority to be rude and quite offensive. My friend told me she had had it with these so called "people of faith". She had never been treated so horribly and announced that she would not be attending our church or any church in the future. Goodness I was sorry to hear that. Shocked in fact to learn my friend had suffered this type of treatment. It took a few weeks of chatting to finally get to the soul of this problem. Apparently the woman in charge had been very friendly and warm initially. Until she asked my friend if she smoked. My friend always wreaked with smoke but she didn't think so. I use to smoke and I use to wreak but I didn't think so either - hmmm, an example of the standard of me? The lady explained that too many children are allergic to smoke and there is a real concern for the children being around second hand smoke. My friend was indignant saying she would never smoke around the children. The woman said that she appreciated my friend coming in to volunteer but at this time she did not have a position available for her. It was my friend that huffed off infuriated emitting an expletive or two.
These kind of things play out every day in all walks of life. Someone is offended because their intention was not heard or noticed. There are boundaries in place from business to church to relationship and everything in-between. Some people either disregard those boundaries or push them to the limit because their intentions are good, even noble and they don't believe they should be limited by boundaries or rules. Each one of us is capable of viewing or living life from our own prospective of need, want or desire which becomes the standard of me.
A pearl to string: God's Word gives all of us a warning to “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts” (Proverbs 4:23 GNB). A poem from days gone by jumps into my mind: Be careful what you think… Your thoughts become your words, Your words become your actions, Your actions become your habits, Your habits become your character. Author unknown
Just because I think something or believe something - it does NOT make it true! No life should be lived by the standard of me. We need, I need, to be continually "........ transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- his good, pleasing and perfect will" (Romans 12:2).
I am thankful for Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever". A truth that is steadfast and does not change. That's the standard for me by which I would like to live.
You are eternally loved,
Lyndi
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