Lowered Expectations

There used to be a show on Mad TV called "Lowered Expectations." If I remember it right, it was a dating show, and it was basically for people who had given up on the "tall, dark, and handsome" route and were like "give me whatever." So of course they have a myriad of crazy, delusional, unattractive people to pick from and people laugh, and onto the next skit.

This weekend Richard talked about how we lower our expectations when it comes to holiness--specifically this week, rage, lust, and unfaithfulness. We were in Matthew talking about how Jesus says "it was said" not to kill people or commit adultery, but Jesus turns around and says anger, and lust are just as bad. He talked about how we draw lines in the sand saying "oh, I didn't sleep with that person" when in reality, Jesus is trying to get to the root issue--what is leading up the sin. What are the patterns of our heart? If we're constantly letting anger take root in our heart, would murder be possible? If we're constantly lusting after that sexy man with the beard, would adultery suddenly be an option?

'Failure is not the problem--making peace with failure is the problem. Don't lower the bar. Jesus raises the bar to show us our brokenness.'  Jesus is showing us these things to show us "gap" between his ideal and where we are. He's showing us that there is a better way, that our hearts need to be transformed by not just doing "the act" but understanding and going to the root of the problem. When we say "oh, that's just how it's going to be, I can't be any better," or "well this is who I am here, but I'm totally different here" it's lowering the bar of who we can be.

I am a girl who definitely has some struggles with lust in my life. I can't even count the times when I've appraised a man with lust in my heart, or given into lustful desires or thinking. If I say, that's just the way I am, at least I'm not a whore who sleeps with anyone, it's lowering the bar, and basically being at peace with the road that I'm taking. Yea, I'm not like the slutty girl down the street...yet. If I'm living a life filled with lustful thoughts and occassionally lustful actions, what's keeping me from becoming someone who just erases that line? God is calling me to something better, and I'm cool with that. I like the fact that I can fail. I like the fact that there's grace and mercy when I do. But I love the fact that Jesus has called me to be more, and says I can be more. I want life, and life to the full--everything good and wonderful that my life can be with him.