I Don't Measure Up

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

measure up

The world wants me to be an average height, say five feet six inches tall. People may immediately react to that statement with "That's not true!". But, it is. If you live in my four feet eleven inch world, you'd find I always have to hem my pants (one reason I love shorts). Cabinets are a "standard" height which means I usually can't reach past the bottom shelf. I can't drive vehicles without power seats because the "regular" seat won't adjust so I can reach the pedals. I barely make the height limits at Disney World. I don't measure up.

I've spent my lifetime being less than, shorter than, feeling inadequate in a lot of ways. In America, if you're a woman, shoes ARE the most important part of your wardrobe. No, they're not an addition to or a compliment thereof, they are the MOST IMPORTANT ARTICLE of clothing a woman wears. The high heel has an interesting history dating back to the 1500's when Persian soldiers first wore heels to help their feet stay in their saddle stirrups during war. High heels were invented for men. The high heel waved and waned until the pin-ups girls of the 1950's. Around that time, the stiletto heel was invented concreting the relationship between women, sexuality and appearance. Today, cultural value dictates high heels are the "norm" for women in professional settings. Ironically, I was born in 1963 smack dab in the height (pun intended) of the high heel craze. I can't wear high heels. I don't measure up.

After a recent encounter of falling short of people's standards, my damaged ego appealed to God for an answer. Why don't I measure up? He showed me this comparison.

The world measures us by:
1. Appearance - Are you attractive and desirable?
2. Transportation - What kind of car do you drive?
3. Shelter - Do you live in a big house?
4. Occupation - Do you have a big job or big title?
5. Possessions - How much stuff do you own?

The world measures Jesus in the same ways. Here are the his results according to the Bible:
1.  Appearance - Jesus is not physically attractive.  Isaiah 53:2 states For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 
2. Transportation - Jesus drove a donkey (could have been a Dodge colt, maybe).  John 12:14-15  And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt. Jesus drove a donkey.
3. Shelter - Jesus was born in a stable. Luke 2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
4. Occupation - Jesus was a carpenter. Mark 6:3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
5. Possessions - Jesus had no need of material possessions. Matthew 19:21-23 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.

God revived my heart with this age-old fact, according to many,
Jesus doesn't measure up.

don't fit in

The moral of this story is compare yourself to Jesus, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. If you measure up by his standards, all is well. I'm pumped there's not a mention of "high heels" in the Bible and obviously Jesus loves short people. He went out of his way to visit a wee little man named Zacchaeus. 

Measured 365,
Tammy


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