Strong spirits: standards
There are standards for being a follower of Jesus, but the point is not to simply try harder.
What are the standards for the position you are in? At work? At school? At home? Are there standards for being a follower of Jesus?
According to Paul the apostle, there are. And he would know. Through a personal encounter with Jesus (recorded in Acts 9), Paul went from being a Christ hater and destroyer of the church to being one of Jesus' strongest followers and friends.
Here's what he says: "...live a life that measures up to the standard God set when he called you. Be always humble, gentle, and patient. Show your love by being tolerant with one another. Do your best to preserve the unity which the Spirit gives..." (Ephesians 4:1-3)
Does this sound like you? Sadly, it doesn't sound like me much of the time. But now I know better than to try harder to make the grade. Rather, I need to surrender more, submit more fully to Jesus, and let him live his life through me if I want to measure up.
I do want to. How about you?
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Besides serving as pastor at Caledonia Congregational Church, Gary Schwerin is the Spiritual Development Minister for the YMCA of the Rock River Valley and Executive Director of Bridge Ministries of Rockford. Prior to launching Bridge Ministries, Gary spent many years in leadership with Young Life. His columns appear here every Sunday - to see them all, subscribe to our daily email.
