The Standard by Which We Measure

Years ago in Austin, Texas I introduced my Honey to my favorite tortilla soup at a restaurant where I frequently had lunch during the week when I worked close by. He was just as delighted by the savory concoction as I. In fact, the past ten years we have tried to find a place locally with a tortilla soup that even comes close to the one in Austin. It became the standard by which we measure all tortilla soup. You would think living near San Antonio with a Mexican restaurant anywhere you look one could find a decent tortilla soup. We have found some better than others but none to measure up to the standard. I make a pretty good one here at home but we have not even found a close second anywhere we have ventured into when eating out. Our standard set the bar very high. We will, once again, partake of our favorite tortilla soup when we are in Austin next week on business. We are excited! We are entertained easily, can you tell?

We have consumed a lot of soup in all the years we have searched for a comparable tortilla soup. We’ve talked of our quest to people with whom we may be dining and they tell of places to try; some even purchased some for us they think is great. This is not to say there is not good tortilla soup to be had but merely to say the standard by which we measure has not been equaled or topped. This may seem a silly quest to you but once you’ve known the best, the standard setter, nothing else compares and your satisfaction level is never satisfied with less. You walk away feeling disappointment and are let down. This applies to every area of life, not just tortilla soup.

As Christians the bar has been set very high indeed by our Lord Jesus. He is the source of our strength, the provider of all things, the reason we walk in grace and not condemnation. He set the standard we are to strive to obtain in how to worship, how to love and forgive, how to face adversity with confidence. He, too, faced obstacles and temptations as He walked this earth. Yet, He never failed to measure the obstacles against His Father God. His standard became our standard when we make the commitment to follow after Him. We, too, need to measure our obstacles against our God. There is not one issue or obstacle that looms large when God is our standard. They will pale in comparison and no longer hold us in fear when we keep our eyes on the standard by which we measure and not give thought or consideration to our own strengths. Alone, we have none. Like the many bowls of tortilla soup we have tasted in hopes of finding one as good as THE one, we often try different ways to combat our obstacles on our own only to fail again and again. Nothing measures up The Standard.

As I said earlier, “…once you’ve known the best, the standard setter, nothing else compares and your satisfaction level is never satisfied with less. You walk away feeling disappointment and are let down….” This is never an issue when we keep our eyes and focus on the highest standard by which we measure…Jesus.