“...the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4b

We’ve been sitting down to watch the Olympics with the kids the last couple of weeks, and the physical feats from athletes all over the world are impressive to say the least. The kids have been quick to pick up on the differences in scoring for some events: while all of the events have been amazing, some are awarded more points for artistry rather than straight up skill or speed. How do you judge an event where the flourishes and fanfare of the performance matters just as much as the technical aspects? There are standards set by each individual sport. The judges and athletes are aware of the standards, and it’s all spelled out on scoresheets. 

What happens if there’s a question? What happens if a particular skill or score is contested? Do the athletes poll their friends? Do the judges ask the spectators? Do they make a quick poll to post online? No, and thank goodness! We people are awfully subjective, and we would all never agree to the same set of guidelines for a score in any Olympic event. 

When in doubt they go back and review the standards.

What happens when we’re caught in a sticky situation and don’t know how to proceed? Should we poll our friends? (We often do!) Should we decide amongst ourselves what to do or make a poll to post in our Instastories? (We do that, too!) We may also consult Dr. Google and pull from past experiences, but if we don’t go back and review the Standard, more often than not we risk landing ourselves in a situation that just got exponentially stickier. 

The Holy Spirit is our direct line to the Standard, which is, of course, Jesus. He’s in us: always directing and guiding, affirming and confirming, and leading us further to and into Christ. Wise counsel is valuable, but Jesus is the standard by which we should measure everything. 

I’m not 100% sure of the process of becoming an Olympic judge, but I think it’s safe to say they don’t take anyone off the street to fill those positions; a familiarity with the sport and solid knowledge of the scoring standards are likely necessary. Likewise, the more we spend time with the Standard, the more familiar we are with Him, and the more likely we are to hear His voice and discern the right paths in sticky situations. 

Are you stuck in a situation where you’re not sure what to do? Go back and review the Standard today, and ask Him to make the path forward clear.