Daily Huddle - Fri Jul 17, 2020 Standards

Love you all, praying for you,
 
Have you ever in your life felt like you had to live up to standards, that were impossible to live up to?  Maybe you had an older brother or sister, who was the star athlete, or the valedictorian.  Maybe the friend or teammate who always got all the attention… No matter how hard you tried, you just could never seem to measure up?  It seems like everyone compared you with them, or at least you did… and you felt like  - you just couldn’t be you.  Not that you aspired to mediocrity… it’s just that they were older, or better, or prettier, or stronger, or faster, and no matter what you did, it just wasn’t good enough?  Or at least it sure seemed that way.  Can you imagine being the younger brother or sister of Jesus?  Do you think Mary or Joseph even understood what a completely unfair advantage it was?  To be Jesus… or the impossible task it was to be his younger sibling.  Jimmy is that really the third time today that you’ve gotten into trouble… Jesus never did that…  Susie – again? How many times have I told you not to… Jesus never did that… why can’t you be more like Jesus?  I don’t think Mary did that, but that’s just funny to me… Can you imagine following your older brother Jesus into High School?  He can walk on water – so avoiding a few tackles is nothing.  Can you imagine the runs he must have had?  Slipping through the tacklers like He slipped through the crowd, striking the opposing safety with just a little bit of blindness until he could turn the corner and head down the sideline for a touchdown.  And you’re supposed to go in?  On both sidelines, turning all the water in all the coolers into Gatorade.  Feeding everyone in the stands with free hotdogs.  Healing the kid on the other team who just got injured.  And now you’re supposed follow that?  “You’re his little brother…”  Thanks a lot, I’ll just stay right here on the bench…  OK – the Bible never says He did that – that was just my imagination going for a walk.  But we do know Jesus was sinless, or He couldn’t be our Savior.  If you’re his younger sibling – that’s a tough act to follow.  Maybe a little too extreme of an example, but have you ever felt that way?  Trapped by comparison – either yourself or others - comparing you to someone else – who just has more ability in this area…  The devil does that – a lot.  He knows that you are fearfully and wonderfully made.  He knows God designed you for a purpose that only you can fulfill, and it’s important!  And that God is depending on you – but also completing His good purpose in you.  And since your enemy always wants to steal, kill, or destroy – if he can’t stop you, or touch you, He’ll try to get you to wish you weren’t you...  by dangling God’s plans for someone else – in front of you.  Even the disciples struggled.  Whether arguing about who gets the best throne in heaven next to Jesus, or Peter when God told Him what He wanted him to do… looked around and saw John, and said…  "What about him?"  What about him?  What about her?  What is that to you?  Be careful that you don’t worry about someone else’s talents, or you won’t be faithful with your own.  Praying that you will never fall into the comparison trap.  It’s just the first step toward the coveteousness trap.  Praying that the devil won’t ever be able to steal your joy, by stealing your attention away from what God wants you to do.  If you’re faithful in PiVAT before dinner, getting His plans for your day, and PRISM – getting His mind, and His way, and your Daily Call – with your testimony… you’ll be overcoming, not comparing.  You’ll be moving forward, not looking around.  You’ll be thankfully rejoicing, rather than a wishing and a wondering.  Praying that you will put your trust in God, that you will put your mouth to praise and obedience, and put your hands to the plow.  With no looking back, no looking around, and definitely no looking backwards.  There’s a harvest waiting!  God will take you there.  You can trust Him.  He didn’t give someone else a better plan than you got.  He’s got one perfectly designed for you that once you start walking in it, you wouldn’t trade it for anything!  Praying for you, that you are running with Him!  That the only standards you worry about are the standards for the good He has for you!
 
Love you all,
dad