Romans 12:3 NLT

³ Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

Paul’s warning here is actually a straightforward and simple order for us to follow every day and especially if we want to establish a starting point of value in Lent. He asks us to come to God in Humility “Don’t think you are better than you really are.” Honestly “Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves,” and “measure ourselves accurately in Faith.” Our measurement of our Faith can only be of value if we use a consistent standard and the only standard for Christians is God’s Word.

Let’s consider a day to day example to see the value of a consistent standard.  Baseball is Americas game so lets take a look at how it grows with us from the center of a standard. Depending on the age of the participant, base distances, backstop and outfield fences can all be different to allow the game to be both fun and competitive. We have seen developments and improvements in baseball that seem to move the game quickly by leaps and bounds. The players are stronger and faster than ever and increasing their skills everyday. Athletes are better than they were a generation ago and vastly improved over several generations. We for sure have better tools and resources but it is a consistent measurement that has driven the advancement. In the areas above of the baseball field that change there is still one main link between offense and defense that is the exact same for all ages and always has been – HOMEPLATE. Think how quickly the game would change if the pitchers could widen the plate and the hitters could shrink it. Homeplate is 17 inches wide – for all ages, all leagues it is the standard that is the measurement and center of the game of baseball. Our lives have a standard that has always been there for our measurement – God’s Word. If we change that standard based on our circumstances, our day to day emotions or someone else’s view of the standard then it is no longer a standard. Once it moves everything else moves and our lives quickly would slide into chaos. May we always approach God’s Word with Humility, Honesty and the courage to measure our lives by our Faith. We can then look for the improvements in our lives that come only from Faith in God.