Opportunities

I grew up in a family with a dad who worked with his hands. He never completed high school, in fact his family worked very hard to be able to keep his youngest brother in school to graduate high school. My uncle Hugh, the only high school graduate, died in WWII. My dad was very smart but his opportunities were limited. I think my brothers and I thought that opportunities were available to us but I'm not sure my parents ever dreamt that college was possible. My older brother opened that door and that changed everything. My parents changed their vision and for me college was then an expectation not an opportunity.

Opportunities are kind of open ended, like a matter of choice. They feel like a take it or leave it scenario. Expectations are more solid, they contain an element limitation. Expectations seem to limit choice, and I think in many peoples minds that is a bad thing. Expecting too much is one of the most negative things that can be said about a parent or a boss isn't it. It's as if we are not accepting someone. I think expectations get a bad rap.

I hate to tell you this but God has expectations. He gives you absolute freedom but he also has expectations. Life is full of opportunities and pregnant with possibilities, but they are just the place where we can do what God expects of us if we have a hope of experiencing a truly blessed life. Yesterday I wrote about the little things. At our best those little things match nicely with the expectations God has for us. If they do they will pour out blessing on those who are part of the details while blessing us at the same time.

The most basic summary of God's expectations in the words of Jesus were. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself." Loving God first means caring first about things he expects of us. I simply want to meet the expectations of the one I love. Loving my neighbor as myself means treating those around me the way I know God wants them to be treated, the same way he treats me.

I love that God expects my best. I pray I can please Him with all the little things in my life.