I was asked to write a small article for a local church organization and I thought I would preview it here first.
Every year before the actual semester begins, my school offers (forces) a mandatory benchmark
over all the materials learned the year before. This is to ensure that you didn’t manage to forget
everything during those long summer months; hence eventually attempting to prepare us for the
board exams. The unique thing about this exam is that it is graded based on an average. As long
as you are within the average or two standard deviations from the average, you will pass.
So this year, true to form, I took the benchmark exam and waited with anticipation for the
results. I opened my email and was relieved to see a 65% (which was considered passing). I
jumped up—I shouted—I was extremely excited! I had managed to scrape by.
Later in the evening as the excitement settled, I started to think….I only mastered 65% of the
material….yet I was still glad that I was just as clueless as the rest of my class. It didn’t bother me
that I had forgotten 35% of the material or that ….70% or higher was considered conventional
passing. Just as long as I was like everyone else, I was satisfied. And MORE importantly, I
was relieved at the fact that I would not have to retake the exam. I then extended this to an
even bigger analogy…how many times was I happy being a “within two standard deviations”
Christian?
Often times when I look back on my Christian walk, I have been guilty of being satisfied with my
51% because my neighbor was sitting at 40%. I mean, there are a few who are high achievers.
But when you average all of us together, I am right there in the middle of the bunch. I am sure
this will let me scrape by past heaven’s pearly gates…or will it?
As I really begin to think about it, I am not so sure that this is what Christianity is about at all. In
fact, what I just described to you are some of the signs and symptoms of a lukewarm Christian
(as per Francis Chan). I am not guaranteed admission into heaven or even a glimpse of Jesus
because I am better than the next guy. Just because everyone fails does not mean Jesus grades on
a curve. You see, His blood is too precious for us not to be living according to our calling or for
us not to be striving for better.
Don’t get me wrong; sin is second nature to us. We are constantly fighting battles against the
flesh and there will be days when we will fail. The question is not whether we will fail or fall, the
question is whether we are okay with that or do we keep pushing for better - striving to beat the
odds. Remember, God looks at the heart. David wasn’t called a chaser after God’s own heart
because he was blameless and perfect, but because even after he failed he sought to be better and
to do better.
So today, dear brother/sister, don’t be satisfied with where you are because you’re “average”.
Strive to be better. For those of you who are not currently passing - don’t worry. There are still
opportunities to remediate or to relearn the material and take the exam again.
As Paul states, let us keep pushing and striving for the prize of the upward call (Phil. 3:14).
Thank you and may God bless.
Two Standard Deviations From the mean
over all the materials learned the year before. This is to ensure that you didn’t manage to forget
everything during those long summer months; hence eventually attempting to prepare us for the
board exams. The unique thing about this exam is that it is graded based on an average. As long
as you are within the average or two standard deviations from the average, you will pass.
So this year, true to form, I took the benchmark exam and waited with anticipation for the
results. I opened my email and was relieved to see a 65% (which was considered passing). I
jumped up—I shouted—I was extremely excited! I had managed to scrape by.
Later in the evening as the excitement settled, I started to think….I only mastered 65% of the
material….yet I was still glad that I was just as clueless as the rest of my class. It didn’t bother me
that I had forgotten 35% of the material or that ….70% or higher was considered conventional
passing. Just as long as I was like everyone else, I was satisfied. And MORE importantly, I
was relieved at the fact that I would not have to retake the exam. I then extended this to an
even bigger analogy…how many times was I happy being a “within two standard deviations”
Christian?
Often times when I look back on my Christian walk, I have been guilty of being satisfied with my
51% because my neighbor was sitting at 40%. I mean, there are a few who are high achievers.
But when you average all of us together, I am right there in the middle of the bunch. I am sure
this will let me scrape by past heaven’s pearly gates…or will it?
As I really begin to think about it, I am not so sure that this is what Christianity is about at all. In
fact, what I just described to you are some of the signs and symptoms of a lukewarm Christian
(as per Francis Chan). I am not guaranteed admission into heaven or even a glimpse of Jesus
because I am better than the next guy. Just because everyone fails does not mean Jesus grades on
a curve. You see, His blood is too precious for us not to be living according to our calling or for
us not to be striving for better.
Don’t get me wrong; sin is second nature to us. We are constantly fighting battles against the
flesh and there will be days when we will fail. The question is not whether we will fail or fall, the
question is whether we are okay with that or do we keep pushing for better - striving to beat the
odds. Remember, God looks at the heart. David wasn’t called a chaser after God’s own heart
because he was blameless and perfect, but because even after he failed he sought to be better and
to do better.
So today, dear brother/sister, don’t be satisfied with where you are because you’re “average”.
Strive to be better. For those of you who are not currently passing - don’t worry. There are still
opportunities to remediate or to relearn the material and take the exam again.
As Paul states, let us keep pushing and striving for the prize of the upward call (Phil. 3:14).
Thank you and may God bless.
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