1 Timothy 4:12 – “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

Everybody has standards, but unfortunately, many live below the acceptable standards of morality, honesty, truthfulness, integrity, amongst many other standards.

What is a standard?

It is something that is established by authority as a rule, and it can be a rule set up to guide how we behave and conduct ourselves. It could also be described as a benchmark or point of reference, or a level of achievement that is considered as acceptable. To raise standards according to the scripture is to align your life with God’s character rather than worldly culture. The scriptures guide believers to achieve this by renewing their mind, prioritising spiritual virtues like love, kindness, humility and holiness, and by imitating the life of Jesus Christ.

There is a godly standard and there also is a worldly standard. The world cannot set the standard for the church, rather it is the other way round. The church is to set the standard for the world to follow and emulate.