Measuring by God's Standards

I crocheted headbands for my close friends last Christmas. I made up the pattern myself. I measured a few heads and came to the conclusion that my headbands should be around 23-24 inches. I made my first headband and it came out ok. Ok, so I used it as my standard to make the next one. I made a total of 6 headbands, and I kept using the most recent headband as my standard for the next one. After I was all done, I laid them all out in a row and noticed that each one was just a tad longer than the one before! First of all, I hadn’t accounted for stretching. As you crochet, the yarn naturally stretches a bit, which made even my first headband a bit longer than I intended. If I had checked my measurements with a measuring tape each time, I would have noticed my error early and been able to make adjustments. Due to my lack of judgment, I had to unravel every headband and start from the beginning.

When we use each other as standards, we can get way off from God’s intended plan. We can always justify our attitudes and actions by finding someone who is a bit worse than we are. Cultural shifts can completely change our ideas of what is acceptable and normal. Over many years, we stray so far from what is true and right.

Every day, take the time to measure yourself against God’s true standards. Don’t compare yourself to your friends, relatives, and the rest of society. When you find you are a bit off, correct yourself right away. Stay true.