There are standards everywhere. At work, there is a certain standard of productivity. At school, there is a certain standard of performance. On social media, there is a certain standard of beauty. With friends, there is a certain standard of popularity. At home, there is a certain standard of responsibility. For the yes-saying people-pleasing type, trying to meet every standard all at once can feel crushing. Driven by a fear of failure, we can run our wheels, trying to meet every standard. Or maybe we are on the other end of the spectrum, we realize we will never measure up to any of these standards, so we give up altogether. It will hurt worse if we try and fail than it will to not try at all. Right? 

Any standard other than God’s that becomes an ultimate standard in our lives… is a false standard. As the only Judge who is perfectly right and just, it is God who sets the precedent for what is good and right. As we prioritize our pursuit of God’s standard above all else, other areas of influence (work, school, friends, family, culture, church,  etc.) will find their proper place underneath his ultimate authority. In simplest form, God’s standard for us is this: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind” and “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mt. 22:38-40). Following God’s perfectly clear, good, and wise standard for our lives frees us up from feeling confused forms of guilt over any lesser standard that attempts to compete with his.