The Single Standard

Luke 6:37-38 - “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

We have a common expression in America called “the double standard.” We see it all the time. Person A gets cut off by Person B in traffic. Person A gets furious at this violation of his rights and hurls verbal abuse at Person B. Two minutes later, Person A is flying down the left of three lanes and realizes he needs to take the next exit. Person A cuts off both Person C and Person D to make the exit with as little inconvenience as possible. Of course, Persons C and D are offended and lay into their horns as loud and long as possible to let Person A know of their offense. In response to this Person A is filled with indignant rage shouting, “How could you possibly be mad at me?  I needed to take that exit!”

I am sure you can think of a hundred other scenarios where you witnessed someone hold a double standard to their own advantage. I am sure you have been the victim of such unfair double standard treatment.

In this passage, Jesus attacks the double standard head on: Do not judge. Do not condemn. Forgive. Give. He concludes with the clear, powerful statement that there is one standard: The measure you use in your actions to and with others will be used to determine what you will receive.

Go back in your mind to the times you have been victimized by a double standard. Now, do what Jesus really want you to do: Consider your own practice of the double standard. Make a commitment today to switch to a single standard: the standard of grace.