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Jullianna

Guest
#1
#1
Why is it that some of us are seemingly held to higher standards than others of us? Does it ever seem to you like other people are allowed to make mistakes, but you aren't? Say/do things you can't without seeming offensive? I don't mean in a christian/non-christian way. I mean in a normal, everyday we all do/say stupid things from time to time way (probably daily :) ).

I truly hope to be as patient with and forgiving of others as I'd like them to be with me. :)
 
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Relena7

Guest
#2
#2
I hope this makes sense...but I believe some people are just born with more capacity to mature than others. Perhaps acquired through more hardships early on in life, or just genetic. Some people are faster to spiritually mature, and some people are faster to be "worldly" mature.

You need a good balance of both to understand the impact of your mistakes and to learn from them.

Some people are held to higher standards by themselves or others based on what they have learned or experienced or lived through.

They should not stoop down to the immature person's level just for the sake of making things "even". It should not be an attitude of "hey they are mean all the time and always get away with it, I should be mean too". I think the mature people have an especially important job of being the good examples.
It's a dirty job, but someone's gotta do it. :p

We all have our weak moments of course. But to provide a good example of how to keep your cool in the midst of a weak moment shows more inner strength and courage than anything. And no I don't mean just pretending everything is okay either.
 
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1still_waters

Guest
#3
#3
Yeah this is a frustrating thing. I've noticed people who for example are VERY giving by nature, and do it consistently, get little recognition. But if someone is less giving, and they just give once, then it's as if they're put up and praised as the model of generosity.

But mmmhmmm.. I get what you're talking about. It can be frustrating seeing people doing X over and over without someone viewing it as negative, but then you do X once, and it's as if you've committed mass murder.
 
seoulsearch

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
#4
May 23, 2009
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#4
I was thinking of the infamous saying, "You never go unpunished for doing a good deed."

And I was also thinking of the fact that Jesus said leaders would be judged more harshly (held up to more responsibility) than followers.

Not that it's any comfort, but maybe stricter standards also mean God has called you to be a leader and that's just the way it is. I'm reading the book of Jeremiah right now, and the poor guy spoke whatever God told Him to tell the people--and mostly, all it ever got him was death threats.

In the story of the prodigal son, everyone always said, "Oh, isn't so wonderful that the 'bad' son came back." To be 100% honest, I always identified more with the "good" son who never did anything terribly wrong and yet was given the smack down for it. Yes, I know, everyone told me the good son represented the Pharisees, etc., but I have often felt that people who "behave" are never rewarded with much except for even higher expectations.
 
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Jullianna

Guest
#5
#5
Thanks y'all. It's nice to know you aren't alone in the boat. :) It just feels that way sometimes, huh?
 
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niceguyJ

Senior Member
#6
Feb 5, 2011
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#6
Luke 12:42-48

New King James Version (NKJV)

42 And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44 Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. 45 But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 47 And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.
 
seoulsearch

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
#7
May 23, 2009
14,943
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#7
Passages like this actually sometimes make me wonder if I really want more. Our culture always says, "The more the better," and Christians always say, "You need to have MORE of God."

I understand this. But does anyone think about the flipside of wanting MORE of God? It means He holds you all the more responsible.

Moses made a mistake ANY of us would have made. Babysit a few million just-freed slaves as they walk across a hostile desert for 40 years and I'm sure you'd be frustrated too.

But because of that mistake, he was denied entrance into the Promised Land--the brass ring of everything they had strived for in all these years.

David, after taking Bathsheba and murdering her husband, was told, "The sword will never depart from your house." All his life, his children feuded and murdered each other. (None of us can claim innocence, Jesus said If You Think It, You've Done It, and we have all lusted and hated.) I think to myself, if this is what's in store for the "good Christians", I am truly in for it!!

Sometimes I actually am AFRAID to want "more of God" because I've seen what's happened to the others who already had plenty of responsibility and asked for more. Sometimes... I think being a little "poorer" in all ways... could be a blessing.
 
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niceguyJ

Senior Member
#8
Feb 5, 2011
520
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#8
I don't think fear is of God. It is certainly something that can hold us all back from becoming who we can be. I know this firsthand. Perhaps some would call it a tool of Satan.

2 Timothy 1:7

New King James Version (NKJV)

7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
 
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Jullianna

Guest
#9
#9
niceguyJ said:
Luke 12:42-48

New King James Version (NKJV)

42 And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44 Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. 45 But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 47 And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.
Click to expand...
Thank you. :) I needed this.

*Puts on her big girl pants and carries on*
 
seoulsearch

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
#10
May 23, 2009
14,943
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#10
Great point, NGJ. Thank you for reminding me of this passage.

I have often wondered as well if the reason why "good" people who do something "bad" are reprimanded so harshly is because, with so much going on in the world, people think, "Oh no! We spend enough time and resources trying to correct the bad, we can't handle it if the good start to go bad as well!! Maybe if we really beat down the good for doing something bad, they'll learn their lesson and never be bad again. (Then, of course, we can go back to rewarding the bad.")

Ha ha ha. Sorry for the sarcasm but we've all been through it--at work, you bust your tail off and something happens... Management goes bezerk. But yet, they never fire the person who is always late, always calling in, and always has an excuse. They simply lower the standards (for that person only) as well.
 
zeroturbulence

zeroturbulence

Senior Member
#11
Aug 2, 2009
24,581
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#11
Jullianna said:
Why is it that some of us are seemingly held to higher standards than others of us? Does it ever seem to you like other people are allowed to make mistakes, but you aren't? Say/do things you can't without seeming offensive? I don't mean in a christian/non-christian way. I mean in a normal, everyday we all do/say stupid things from time to time way (probably daily :) ).

I truly hope to be as patient with and forgiving of others as I'd like them to be with me. :)
Click to expand...
All I have to say about that is...

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1ysoohV_zA[/video]
 
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sweetspiritgirl

Guest
#12
#12
Well John the baptis was to abstain from wine ever touching his lips..we all have our standards and desires that may come from God..or us even..dosent make them superior just there mission is diffrent ..the arm cannot say to the leg i dont want to be a arm..we are all working in the body of Christ for a purpose yours will not be the same as the next persons..but in saying this smile because you are in Gods army doing his will ,,weather an arm a foot or a head...:)
 
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Jullianna

Guest
#13
#13
We don't all get to be the sweet little protected types :)It would get pretty boring I suppose...
 
von1

von1

Senior Member
#14
Apr 22, 2010
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#14
I guess we all have days when it seems like all the bad stuff happen to us. It never happens to them but always to me. The main thing is God is the only perfect one.
 
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