3:24 – Double Standard

#faithbites #faithjourney double

I love politics. I’m a bit of a nut. Process and procedures help me make sense of the world. In politics, especially with the #impeachment trial, we see lots of finger pointing. What often comes is it wasnt bad when so and so did it, why is it wrong now. Or so and so didnt get in trouble, why is this person in trouble.

In everyday lives we have double standards. The saying “Do as I say, not as I do”, is a prime example of this. We don’t like people gossiping about us, but we’ll gossip about them.

Even in faith, we have double standards. That person isn’t as good of a Christian as I am. That statement alone is not following Christ’s humility.

So…besides not talking at all to anyone, which wohldnt be a life worth living, how do we reduce double standards?

Scripture

• “You shall not have in your bag two kinds of weights, a large and a small. You shall not have in your house two kinds of measures, a large and a small. A full and fair weight you shall have, a full and fair measure you shall have, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. – Deuteronomy 25:13-15
• Unequal weights and unequal measures are both alike an abomination to the Lord. – Proverbs 20:10
• For God shows no partiality – Romans 2:11

Reflection

Everyone is equal in God’s eyes. You are not better or worse than someone else. God tells us to have equal weights and measures. Not one set for one person and a different set for another (or ourselves).

It is hard when we judge people to see that we may be judging them unfairly. Likewise, when people judge is, are they using the same scale they would use against themselves.

We need to stop and see if we are appling a double standard in everything we do. The hardest thing isn’t if we are judging two groups of people differently, but if we are judging ourselves and others the same way.

Trust in the Lord and let him be the Judge.

Challenge

Are you judging others fairly? It doesn’t matter their political, relugious, or social leanings. Look beyond that and see how you would honestly fair under those critera. Better yet, try to invite and challenge those near you, rather than judging.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for not judging us on our works. Thanks for measuring us equally and fairly. Help us to be like you and not judge each other against double standards. We want to be kind and challenge appropriately and not judge. Help us in this. Amen.