By What Measure?

When I got to the office yesterday, Wanda asked how my golf game went. Now it just so happens that I played particularly well most of the time yesterday. Four pars, three bogeys and two double bogeys on the back nine is about as good as I have ever done. So the answer I gave was very positive.

Last night, I started thinking about how the answer we give to the "How well" questions of life depend upon the guage by which we measure. Had I measured my response about my golf game against the guage of Tiger Wood's performance at the British Open, my story would have changed.

Now, I realize that measuring one's golf game against Tigers set unfair expectations. But I also know that measuring it against my own norm allows me to quickly become comfortable.

Which leads me to wonder... By what measure are we gauging our progress? As disciples? As a church? As ________ (fill in the blank)?