Setting the bar too high?

Memory verse:
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

Setting the bar too high?

In SOME areas of my life, I am an overachiever. I set my sights on something and I work hard to get there. (This doesn't always work for me...as with my life-long struggle with my weight.) This overachiever attitude has served me well many times, but it does sometimes affect my perceptions of others...or as I discovered recently, affects others' perceptions of how I view people.

I had a conversation with a bright young woman yesterday. She is afraid I judge others when they can't or don't live up the the high standards I set for myself. That really made me think...this isn't exactly the first time I heard something like this about myself. I was once told that I tend to be a bit judgmental. Judgmental is something I strive NOT to be, so being told this about myself makes me stop and think about what I do and what I expect of others. Today's Bible study is about learning lessons from our past...so maybe I can learn something about myself by looking at myself in a different way.

I believe in my heart that I am a child of God...I believe in his teachings and his word. That is why I TRY each day to be kind to people, to work hard at my job, to work hard for my family, and to give to and work for my church. I don't always live up to my own expectations, but I believe that is what God wants me to do. I believe God wants me to TRY to give my BEST at everything I do.

So, because I expect that out of myself, I guess I do get frustrated with people who do JUST ENOUGH to get by. I do get frustrated with people who don't see the value at trying their BEST all the time. I get frustrated with people who don't treat people the way they would want to be treated. I get frustrated with people who complain about the way things are but aren't willing to do any work to change it. 

I think my frustration comes from the fact that even though I work hard...I KNOW in my heart and in my mind that I am really not working as hard as I could be. So...even my mediocre efforts are more than some are willing to give. AND then those people don't like the way things are in their lives, in their work places, their schools, in their church.

Ok, I do see the point...I DO sound a bit judgmental, don't I? I need to walk a mile in another person's moccasins before I judge whether they are giving their best or not, right?

I guess I just don't want people to be satisfied with mediocre. Why not set your standards higher and try to REACH reach for them instead of setting the bar so low you KNOW you can reach it without even trying? Excellence is not always obtained, but if you don't strive for it, you'll never see it.

The lesson I learned from these thoughts today? I will still continue to set my goals and my expectations high, but I will try to be more understanding of those who don't. We all have to start somewhere, right?