Measuring tapes are amazing things. First off- at my house, at least, they have the uncanny ability to disappear into thin air.
I buy them, use them once- then they are gone. I buy boxes for them, I store them carefully- yet, when I need them again *poof* they pull a Houdini and disappear!
My next- problem with measuring tapes, well, we all use them a little differently. Some measure everything, others "eyeball" most things, except those that are most important. (I'm an eye-baller, myself)
Even in light of all this, when you can FIND one, a
a measuring tape is a great tool. MOST of the time.
Personally, I struggle with measuring tapes ocassionally. I tend to use them in ways that aren't "recommended" on the label....
Because I use them in two ways that can be damaging to myself, and to others.
I use them to see if I"measure up", and to see how others "Measure down".
Tape measures should be labeled as dangerous when used improperly.
Here is what I mean. Sometimes, I use a measuring tape of standards (usually that I create, sometimes based on God's word, with my own creative twists added for emphasis) to see if I'm doing "ok". If I'm a "better" mom, wife, daughter, worker, housekeeper, etc... than "so and so" than I must be doing alright. That's measuring down.
We use someone elses failures- as our "baseline" for how we measure in comparison.
Then, there is the opposite mis-use. The one, where I compare myself to someone else- and find myself "lacking" or not measuring up, as if they are the standard that, I should strive for.
Either way, this is a lose- lose situation. As long as I'm looking to others for my standard, or my "measuring tape", I have lost focus on what's most important. God's standard.
If I think I'm "Doing ok" because I'm doing better than someone else- that can become pride. If I think I am NOT doing well enough, because someone else measures differently, in an area, then I may start to resent, or even envy them.
There is only one who can measure, any of us, and the truth is, we are all found "measuring short"...
Roman's 3-22-26
This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
The truth is- none of us measure up, yet when God measures- He measures through the loving sacrifice of His Son. When I remember that, my tape measure can takes it's right and useful, role, for hanging pictures and measuring knitting in progress!
The amazing thing about God- is that He alone knows how we measure- and loves us anyways!
Dear Lord- I ask that you'd help me to allow the measuring to be left to you- that I'd learn to keep your standards, and have tem in my heart, I love you Lord- amen!
Ps.. I need to actually measure something-- does anyone know where my actual tape measure might be???
