Expectations

Expectations! The word can bring mixed feelings. If you tell young children that they are “holy terrors,” they will probably live up to your expectations. Newlyweds are often surprised when life isn’t “happily ever after” without a lot of work, like they thought it would be. My expectation of making Steve’s Mom’s chocolate meringue pie as good as she did were dashed pretty quickly – I’m not going there again! Sometimes, people live their whole lives trying to “live up to” the expectations of others, but we may not ever be “smart enough, skinny enough, or good enough” for other folks.

So what does the Lord expect of us? Isn’t He the one that really counts? One of my favorite verses is Micah 6:8. This verse gives us some of the Lord’s expectations. “He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.” To do justly means to act in a morally upright or good way. It is to be righteous, fair, and impartial. To love mercy is to show compassion, grace, and gentleness- to be kind, loving, and forgiving. And oh how important it is to walk humbly. We are not to be arrogant, conceited, or come across as being superior for we are nothing compared to God. And notice – we’re not to “run ahead,” but “walk with our God.” John said, “If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (I John 1:7) Walking humbly in the light means that we have fellowship – me and God – one with another. How awesome is that!

When you really think about it – it doesn’t matter what others think of us or whether we meet their “expectations” or not. Is God pleased with you? That’s the expectation that really counts. God Bless, Courtney