In Proverbs 14:12 (KJV), the Bible states, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”  I have noticed that when something seems right to mankind, it usually involves lowering the accepted standard and making an exception.  And our exception is wrong with God! 

Everybody’s favorite underdog, Charlie Brown, figured out a way to be 100% successful shooting his bow and arrow.  He would go into the woods, shoot his arrow into a tree, and then paint a target around the arrow.  Lucy, who has the gift of encouragement, saw what Charlie Brown was doing and began to exclaim, “Charlie Brown, you Blockhead, that’s not the correct way to do that!”  To which Charlie Brown replied, “Yes, I know.  But if you do it my way – you never miss!”  Charlie was comfortable with lowering the standard.

Somewhere along the way, I heard a definition of the difference between an amatuer and a professional.  It said: “An amateur practices until he can get something right.  A professional practices until he cannot get something wrong.”  Wow!  The professional refuses to lower the standard while elevating his capabilities to meet the standard.

 I heard a story about a man who ran a fix-it shop.  When his customers would complain that an item he had repaired did not work correctly, he would reply, “Well, it works better than it did when you brought it in!”  Sadly, better is not the goal!  He lowered the standard!  Speaking of which, I remember a doctor’s visit I made some years ago.  It had been a long time since I had seen him.  He told me he was going to do an A1-C blood sugar test.  Now understand, my target is 7.0.  I told him that mine would probably be 14.0!  When the results came back, it was 7.9.  I told him, “Doc, you probably will not appreciate this, but I am thrilled with a 7.9!”  He responded, “Aaron, it is amazing to me how low you set your goals – then celebrate when you hit them!”

There is a Biblical standard for all aspects of life.  In Malachi 1:6-10, God calls the priest of Israel to account for lowering His standard.  I love how The Message version of the Bible translates this exchange between God and the priests of Israel like this: “Isn’t it true that a son honors his father and a worker his master?  So if I’m your Father, where’s the honor?  If I’m your Master, where’s the respect?  God-of-the-Angel-Armies is calling you on the carpet: You priests despise me!  You say, Not so!  How do we despise you?  By your shoddy, sloppy, defiling worship.  You ask, What do you mean, defiling?  What’s defiling about it?  When you say, The altar of God is not important anymore; worship of God is no longer a priority, that’s defiling.  And when you offer worthless animals for sacrifices in worship, animals that you’re trying to get rid of - blind and sick and crippled animals - isn’t that defiling?  Try a trick like that with your banker or your senator - how far do you think it will get you?  God-of-the-Angel-Armies asks you.  Get on your knees and pray that I will be gracious to you.  You priests have gotten everyone in trouble.  With this kind of conduct, do you think I’ll pay attention to you?  God-of-the-Angel-Armies asks you.  Why doesn’t one of you just shut the Temple doors and lock them?  Then none of you can get in and play at religion with this silly, empty-headed worship.  I am not pleased.  The God-of-the-Angel-Armies is not pleased.  And I don’t want any more of this so-called worship!”  Wow!

The verses in Malachi depict the Lord rejecting the lowering of His standards by His priests.  If it was true in Malachai, and it is, then it is still true today.  God set the standard when he commanded in Luke 10:27 (KJV), “… Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.” 

Sadly, we live in a day when society has gone crazy.  We have lowered and rejected Biblical standards and have adopted Charlie Brown’s philosophy of shooting the arrow first and then painting the target around it. 

And Lord, please help me not even to get started on transgender athletes… ugh!

Brother Aaron