The Measure Of A Man

I am deeply embedded in a sport where a man is measured by the weight on the bar and the total he puts up at the end of the day. Athletics in general measure men and women by how they perform on game day and how they perform in training. Athletics are excellent at development of character and development of tenacity but there has always been a higher level by which we are measured.
In Psalm 15 David writes a beautiful five verse song on what truly measure a man. This song, even in its brevity, is a really great reminder to me that my lifting and my training and athletics in general are not the real measure of who I am. If I measure myself up to the best in the sport or the best in my weight class then I’m selling myself short of who God has called me to measure myself up to. He’s made us to measure ourselves to Him. This is the beauty of the Gospel. When we stand toe to toe with the perfect, spotless, unblemished nature of the Lord we will always fall short. This is why we need Christ. Because there is no level at which we can be good enough to measure up to God. That’s why I read Psalm 15 and I am reminded of the standards set before me. Psalm 15 reminds me of why I need Jesus. Psalm 15 this reminds me that without Christ I’ll always fall short and never meet His standards. However, with Christ standing in my place, God sees me as perfectly righteous. Psalm 15 is a good reminder to me that no matter how much I succeed in this world, no matter what accomplishments I am able to achieve, I will always fall short. But the good news of the Gospel is that because I fall short God sent me a perfect replacement who is everything that Psalm 15 embodies. It’s Psalm like this one from David that make me so thankful for Jesus.
Thank you Cale Owen for the reminder yesterday of why I am so desperately in need of Christ.
Psalm 15
Who Shall Dwell on Your Holy Hill?
A Psalm of David.
1 O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent?nWho shall dwell on your holy hill?n2 He who walks blamelessly and does what is rightnand speaks truth in his heart;n3 who does not slander with his tonguenand does no evil to his neighbor,nnor takes up a reproach against his friend;n4 in whose eyes a vile person is despised,nbut who honors those who fear the Lord;nwho swears to his own hurt and does not change;n5 who does not put out his money at interestnand does not take a bribe against the innocent.nHe who does these things shall never be moved.