What do you think of this concept?

Question

This is an idea I saw recently, in a book I was just glancing through in a store. (I don't even remember it, except it was an American history book and the context was our Founding Fathers owning slaves.) To paraphrase, it was this:

"People who can fully and precisely live up to their own standards have set their standards extremely low."

I really loved this, and the concept stuck with me, and I've been using it here and there for a couple of weeks now. I see that sometimes--people who've done terrific things having lapses in judgment.

What do you think of that idea?

Answer 1

Darn right. I set my goals where I need to be, not where I am now, otherwise it wouldn't be a journey.

For instance, I aspire to only answer questions in a constructive way, and I often fail to achieve this so badly that I'm surprised the acid I drip hasn't made a hole in the floor. To set the standard at venomous acid would be far too low. I can do better and I will do better.

Answer 2

For sure no one has been able to live up to God's standards...that's why all are sinners.

Instead of lowering the standard, just admit we all have missed the mark, and ask God for forgiveness, and ask Him to live His life trough us, through Jesus Christ.
That is what the Christian life is all about....Christ living his life out through us.

Answer 3

I must admit that I love this type of play on words, one in particular that I like and use sometimes is this;
`You`re bad manners are exceeded only by your bad manners`

Answer 4

The exception that proves this 'rule' is Jesus Christ - the only person in history who perfectly kept all God's commandments! And nobody can say THOSE standards are even slightly low!

Answer 5

GREAT, I like it and it is saying the truth.