How do you know how tall you are? My guess is that you probably pull out a measuring stick and compare it to some standard, something that will allow you to become conscious of your height.
What about hard work? How do you know what work is? I bet it is because you know what rest is....what about pain? The reason you have a knowledge of what pain feels like is because you have the capacity to experience pleasure...
Up, Down, Left, Right.....Cold, Hot....Victory and Defeat....we have the knowledge to discern the differences in life because we have standards and these standards expose differences and allow us to be conscious of who we are and what we experience...
So let me ask you another question. What is your measuring stick? Who or what do you compare your life with in order to know whether or not you are living up to a higher standard or hiding in a life of mediocrity and sin?
Allow me to let Scripture answer this question.....see Romans 3:20 (NIV)
Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin
You see, we are called to a higher standard of living as we read God's inspired word to us through Romans 3:20. He is telling us that the law does not exist so that we can join the 'righteous club' and get a cool sticker that says we are righteous because we follow laws..
Instead, God has established the law in order for us to make comparisons, just like hot versus cold, in our life of righteous living versus sinful living...through His laws, our sin is exposed because we have a measuring stick that shows us how to become conscious of our mediocre and sinful lifestyle....
Andy Stanley explains it like this, "God did not establish laws as conditions for a relationship with Him, but rather a confirmation of a relationship with Him." We don't follow His laws in order to be accepted into The Kingdom of God, instead, we have laws that confirm our relationship with Him because He wants the best for us and calls us to a higher standard of living!
Imagine if you are a parent. You don't establish rules for your kids so that they will follow them, and IF they follow them, then and then only will you love them...NO, you establish rules for them because you hold them accountable to certain standards and these rules provide a framework that exposes them and makes them conscious of where they are falling short.
Here is a very important point we must make with all of this. Andy Stanley again explains it beautifully. He says, "Rules without Relationship Leads to Rebellion." Friends, we must establish Relationships with those we love, with our family, our co-workers, our employees, our teams and students, because without relationships, our rules will be lead to rebellion. Without relationships, rules become something that people follow out of spite instead of out of love, but when you have a loving and intense relationship with others, you want to follow rules because you love the ones who establish them and you understand that they are in place in order to create an ethos for Glorifying God!
Hot or Cold. Culture or Christ. What is your measuring stick. I want mine to be Jesus Christ. If I model my life after Him instead of culture, and if I allow God's laws to show me where I am falling short of His calling, then I will always be called to a higher standard......Join me in becoming conscious of how God wants us to live. Establish a relationship with Him. His Higher Calling will keep you and me from falling short!
Check into Part 2 of this series, "The Measuring Stick" called "Exposure" and you will want to step into the light instead of hiding in fear of being exposed
