You can't measure your success by other peoples' standards, or by the world's standards, because they're not GOD'S standards. You must set your goals and fight to exceed them according to what the Holy Spirit impress upon your heart. Reject indolence and complacency! "This choice goes right to the heart of what it means to be a rebelutionary. Without a doubt, pushing yourself to do more than is asked, expected or required is nearly always a lonely choice. It can set you apart from friends, co-workers, other Christians, even your family. As we'll see, the desire to do your best--even when no one around you requires it--takes a special kind of character. It puts you at odds with the accepted culture.." As you've probably realized by now, this is by no means easy. But God will reward us if we live our lives to glorify Him.

The normal term for the living of one's life, "Just do your best", actually means give it a shot and if it falls short, no big deal, you did your 'best'. "...don't kid yourself. The cost of complacency is real, and it can be tragic. We slide into habits of mediocrity and excuse making. Life gets boring, and we're not sure why. We know, or at least suspect, that there's a lot more we could do or be. But floating along, there's no way to be sure." We try to rationalize that compared to some, we're not bad; we've got it made without trying; you're okay, just the way you are, you don't feel the need to change yourself because everyone pushes you to be content the way you are. "Over time, refusing to reach higher, try harder, and risk more robs us of the glorious purpose and wonderful future God has created us for."

It shouldn't be enough for us to gain a reputation for not being "bad", not drinking and partying like the rest of the realm of teenagers too lazy to do hard things in the time they've been given. We should be known for the good things we do instead of the bad things we DON'T do. Don't be content merely to survive, we need to thrive! Save the word excellent for things that really are. "We're not just supposed to avoid sinning; we're supposed to pursue righteousness in a way that others will want to imitate." We're falling short of our God-given potential because we're simply trying to be better (or not as bad) as the next Tom, Dick or Harry. God has high standards, standards we could never hope to exceed or even reach: "God set His standards this high so that we won't make the mistake of aiming low. He made them unreachable so that we would never have an excuse to stop growing."

Here are three steps you can take to aim higher than the low standard set by today's society: "1. Do what's hard for you. 2. Be known for what you do (more then for what you don't.) 3. Pursue excellence, not excuses."

"...what would happen if we embraced the values...of reaching above and beyond what comes easy? And what would happen if a new generation of teens lived that way? Start now."

Questions for Discussion (taken from page 101-102)

What areas of your life do you not care about, and should be caring about?

In what areas have you fallen short of God's standards and your God-given potential?

In what areas have you settled for just getting by, when you know you could do better if you really tried?

In what areas have you decided that things "will always be this way", without ever putting any effort into changing them?

May God bless you, and may His light pierce your darkness!

~PIP~

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