God’s Measuring Stick

Imagine a measuring stick for life.

Near one end of the stick, we have those who are fiercely independent, self-reliant, can deal with any setback, resourceful, gifted, educated, not living check to check, have lots of DIY skills, know how things work, have good credit, and drive around in late model cars.

At the other end of this stick are those who are dependent, feel entitled to be taken care of, did not have many opportunities or didn’t capitalize on them, and have little hope for a better future. At this end of the measuring stick you can find those who have given up on the dream for a wonderful life.

God does not want any of us anywhere on this measuring stick. He does not want you to compare your worldly perception of value to that of anyone else. God has a totally different measure of value.

As you earnestly seek God, you will find yourself moving completely off the stick to a whole new, different scale with which to view yourself and others. God’s measure of us is all about love. Your love for God and your love for one another will lift you right off the world’s measuring stick into a whole new space.

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I don’t really know Matthew.  He is simply in my circle of acquaintances. I do know that he has just emerged from open-heart surgery, similar to my procedure two years ago.  Matthew called last week during the run-up to his operation with some questions and was looking for advice. Having been through this ordeal, I had both answers and advice for him. His final question was about how I dealt with the anxiety. I told him that anxiety is the opposite of trusting God. “Try to have a heart posture of trusting God, no matter what. That is how I dealt with it, and it worked for me,” I said.

A few days later, I learned that his surgery went well and that Matthew was recovering in the ICU. I found myself praying for him and sent him this note:

Matthew, Good Morning.

I was praying this morning, and I believe the Lord would have me share this.

I’m a strong and independent man. I have lived a life knowing that I would be fine in any situation. I can deal with anything. I can manage any crisis and have the resources and fortitude to recover from any setback. And proud of it.

My recovery from surgery was most humbling. I had to pause and rest when going up to the second floor. All I could really accomplish was to sit around most of the day. I was completely dependent on my wife for everything. Shopping, cooking, driving, banking, managing all services, and keeping my surgical wounds from becoming infected. I couldn’t even take the garbage cans out to the road for the weekly pickup.

This situation was mentally challenging and perhaps a contributor to the potential depression I was warned about. “Men, especially, need to watch out for that,” said the Doctors.

I had to learn to live totally dependent on others. It was not a comfortable state of affairs for me. Relying on others was totally foreign to who I was and where I found my meaning and value.

This, of course, was God teaching me something I could not have learned any other way.

I just felt that I should share this with you as I suspect you are also that strong, independent, solve any problem kind of person as well.

You won’t be that guy for a while. And when you are that guy again in a few months, you will think about it a little differently.

God loves you, Matthew. He will fix your heart in more ways than one.

David

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Jesus prayed for us. This is documented on page 1011 of my Bible. His prayer goes on and on; it takes up the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel of John. Jesus prayed that we would have love for one another. He prayed that we would be one with another, just as Jesus and the Father are one. And Jesus prayed that we would be protected from the evil one, who is obsessed with opposition to our oneness. Satan is trying to drive all sorts of wedges between us.

Jesus said that our love for one another is necessary for the world to know he is Lord. As Timothy Keller put it, “The world knowing Jesus as Lord is bound up in the quality of our community.”

Quality here refers to the quality of our love for one another. This is the measure that matters. It is the very quality that Jesus prayed we would have. He didn’t pray that we would be independent, quite the opposite, in fact.  He certainly wants us to have everything we need and provides these things to those who seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness.[i] A big part of this seeking is loving one another just as Jesus asked us to do.

Jesus said … “I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too are to love one another. By this, everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love and unselfish concern for one another.” (John 13:34-35 AMP)

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[i] But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33 ESV)