Living beyond the expected.

     People whom I grew up around didn't expect much positive to come from my life.  What they expected didn't happen.  What did happen was my beginning to have expectations of my life that were positive and fulfilling.  Unfortunately, some of those expectations, though well intentioned, were too far out of reach for anyone but God.  Nope, I'm not perfect.  Fortunately, God is forgiving and showed me a new concept:  realistic expectations.  The ability of one to do what they can and let go of what they can't isn't new to me.  The ability to assess expectations after reflecting on my own limitations isn't new either.  The balance between the two has evolved to where I am today.  My own expectations are higher than the expectations those around me want for me.  Expectations connote some admission that we need to be better, do more, and succeed for our sake and the sake of others.
     When playing in the pool with my children when they were young, they would jump off the edge of the pool expecting me to catch them.  Studying in college my professors expected me to rise above the norm and to do work I was capable of.  Being a police officer on a busy city beat had expectations that I serve and protect.  As a minister the congregation and community expected me to do what God wanted.  Serving as a mental health counselor, my clients expected me to be able to help them.  In all of these examples there is the element of expectations.  The problem surfaces when I consider my definition of expectations versus others expectations of the positions I occupied.  The expectations of the world versus the expectations of God is very interesting.  God's expectations of us is so much above the expectations of the world.  As a result, we tend to be satisfied with what the world expects and don't bother delivering what God expects.
     There are some imperatives in the Word that lay out Gods expectations.  Jesus tells the woman at the well to "go and sin no more."  God tells us to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind."  God tells us he expects us to "go into all the world and make disciples of men."  There is an interesting phrase used in police work.  "Lesser and included" means that when there is a crime involving minor infractions; you charge the highest crime and don't worry about the lesser.  The lesser are automatically included.  It's the same when we look at God's expectations versus the worlds expectations.  Yes, we can sit back and do what the world expects.  What would happen if we would do only that which God expects?  The standard would rise and we would be challenged to rise up and be the people God designed us to be.  The standard for expectations in our lives would be altered and the challenge would be given to rise to the occasion. 
     What am I capable of?  "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  I am capable of "being more than a conqueror."  I am capable of "rising above the worlds ways."   When I choose to be capable of the expectations of God, Christ begins to live through me and as Paul says, "it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives within me."  I cannot meet the expectations of God.  I'm a fallible fallen creature.  Christ can rise to the occasion and live the expectations trough me.  Why?  Because he is God.  When Christ is living in me, it is no longer I who struggle to meet expectations but I who struggles to stay out of the way so Christ can live.  What are your expectations?  For whom or what do you live and have your being?