Expectations

DateLine (4/26/06 – Ponce, Puerto Rico)

A little while ago I heard about a study that was conducted in an educational setting. Two classes of elementary students were assembled. Class 1 was stacked with overachievers while class 2 was stacked with underachievers. Here’s the interesting part, the teacher for the overachievers was told that she had underachievers and vice versa. Both teachers labored for the school year under the intentional misinformation. What do you think happened?

The students in both classes met the expectations set by the teachers. In both classes the student’s performance for the year was exactly opposite of their previously demonstrated capability. The teachers had been deceived into setting the wrong expectations for both classes and the students performed as they were “expected” to perform by their teacher.

Where are we going with this? Modernists push relativism which mocks moral absolutes. Evidence mounts that society is unraveling around the ages. Everything is open to question. All rules are open to interpretation. Unfortunately we find ourselves as participants in a social experiment. People seem to be confused about expectations.

The Ten Commandments and the teachings of Jesus which have been gold standards for Western societal structures for centuries? God has set the standard – we know what’s expected. The difference between us and the school kids is God (i.e. the Teacher) knows our true potential and He’s set the appropriate standard. He’s even sent a tutor (i.e. Holy Spirit) to work with us every day to insure that we keep up. Don’t let the modernists soil your relationship with the Creator – God does not introduce confusion, it’s all about expectations.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Psalm 199:11.