What do you measure your life by...

I have listened to Brooke play the piano - she makes the keyboard sing.  I watch Kendra play basketball - she plays well - often much better than the other players. I have seen Harrison run, and for his age, he runs very well - better than some of the runners 2 years older than he.  Yet how foolish would I be to tell others that my children are the best in the world at their field of interest?  Even more foolish would it be to say that they are perfect in their execution.  As they measure themselves against comparable competition, they gain a good understanding of where they stand and in what areas they need to improve.

Much the same, in my life, I often find myself "comparing myself" to the competition to evaluate where I stand.  I get it right most of the time, so I find myself thinking that I am a rather good person.  Many others do the same thing and conclude that they are doing well in life.

The problem with this logic is the same as my son thinking he can run with Usain Bolt because he won a 6th grade race at his school.  Usain runs like the wind and makes it look simple - he is a world class runner.  Harrison is quick, but by comparison, he is as slow as his father.

Enter Christ - the good news to the world - He is the only one who ever lived up to the standard that is set by God.  Why do I need Jesus in my life?  Because even the best I do is far from perfect, and most of the time (if I am honest), I am not even doing my best.  I need perfection to satisfy the standard of God, only Christ is perfect, so without Him in my life, all I do is fruitless and useless.

This truth can be life changing.  I can be constantly depressed because I do not meet the mark, or I can realize that through Christ the mark has been met.  I can be constantly striving to meet the standard of perfection to the extent of exhaustion, or I can recognize that the standard has been met.  I can be boastful in the times that I get things right, or I can be humbled by the fact that I can only get it right perfectly in Christ.  I can choose to judge others by the standard I have lived up to, or I can recognize that my standard is well below the standard of the Almighty and He judges so much more effectively and thoroughly.

I want to live in the joy of knowing when I fall, Christ's righteousness makes up the difference.  When I do well, Christ's righteousness is what prompted it and made it possible.  When I feel the urge to boast, I want the righteousness of Christ to so overshadow my vanity that the arrogance of my "goodness" fades into the glory of His perfection.

It all boils down to what I am comparing myself to.  If it is others, often I can look good.  If it is Christ, I am a man in desperate need of a Savior.  Thanks be to God who has provided His Son.