Double standards that is.
Realistically, double standards are a fairly expected part of life. Most people have at least one or two do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do's. They aren't nice, but they're there. I'm guilty of them. Most of us are.
There are relatively small double standards... such as "It's ok for grown-ups to cuss, but it isn't ok for kids." Or, "Girls can't wear shorts to school but boys can." They aren't right or fair, but in the grand scheme of things, they're pretty small.
And then there are the big ones... "It's ok for men to have affairs but not their wives." Or, "You have to forgive this person and make things right, but I don't." Or, "It's ok for me to have an abortion because of my circumstances, but it isn't ok for you to do it out of convenience."
Big or small, they're still ugly and fundamentally unfair. And yes, I know, life isn't fair... but, as much as is possible, shouldn't we be striving toward it? As "normal" as double standards may seem to life, should we accept them?
Of course not. A life without double standards is possible.
Sometimes we encounter people we would never imagine would hold others to a standard they wouldn't meet themselves. It's admirable and amazing. People of integrity are few and far between, and when they ask others to consider something or do something, they are taken seriously.
Which makes it all the more staggering when confronted with their inability or unwillingness to live up to the demands they make of others. It's disappointing.
I don't want to be a disappointment.
Do you have any double standards? How do we get rid of them?
2 comments:
Boy. Who wants to admit to that? I'll let you admit, while I won't...Just Kidding.
Actually, I think I may have double standards with our kids. I'm not sure how to resolve some of them. Prayer might help.
That's a hard one, because we are instinctively wired to judge others more harshly than we judge ourselves. When we do something that we have previously judged someone else for, we tend to rationalize and make excuses for our behavior.
I think the best way to avoid double standards in our own lives, is to tone down the judgement that we dole out. Mercy always triumphs over judgement.
Xandra
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