Expectations

Whether we like it or not, we place our expectations on others whose life impacts us. We think they have a mark to reach to be true to the person we think they are. Let me expand that to the people they lead you to think they are! That’s a very different thing, isn’t it? There are jobs and professions that we instinctively know what to expect, and we are seldom, if ever, wrong. Doctors, nurses, police officers, and I’m sure you could add others. But these are professions. Trained professionals in fact. But what about a work or vocation that is spread across all kinds of people, young and old, experienced or not, man or woman?

The Christian is such a person, and we have our expectations in each of them, whether in the community, or other churches, or dare I say even our own church. While in mixed company, have you ever heard the words, “I never thought you….(fill the action yourself)”. It’s akin to suggesting that you are a hypocrite, and that is a word I dislike intensely.

You see, the truth is: As much as we place our expectations on others, those same ‘others’ are placing their own expectations on us. I suppose that’s a fair balance, but I still don’t like it. The bottom line is that I think we should be very careful about the measuring stick we use on our Christian brothers and sisters, because they could use that same stick to beat us up if we fall short of their expectations! How then do we ALL live up to the expectations placed on us? The short answer is that we don’t, because we can’t in our own strength. The apostle Paul gives us the answer when he wrote to the Christians at the growing church in Colossae.

We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord. Colossians1:9,10NIV