It's Not Nice When God Does That!!!!

God really shouldn't use your prayers for someone else to convict you about your own life...it's not nice.
     I cannot believe the number of times in this journey a truth I have been taught my entire life has come to life so vividly. How many sermons, lessons, devotions have I heard about double standards in my life? Thousands it seems and yet here I found myself last week praying something for Tebow that God used to convict me.
     It's easy to think that Tebow needs to walk a tighter line than most of us because he is such a public figure. It's easy to feel that if he ruins his testimony, he ruins God's also and does damage to the thousands of youth who look up to him; therefore, it is very important he maintain his walk with God very carefully. There is some, if not a lot of truth in those statements. I pray often for him to have God's strength each and every day to walk with Him and to maintain his testimony.
      A few days ago as I was praying this for him, I told God it was so important for Tebow to remain faithful and live righteously because kids were watching him and following his example and wouldn't it be a shame if hundreds of kids fell away from Him because of Tebow's poor example. That's when God got me!!! He pointed out I was setting a double standard for Tebow. I was praying he maintain his testimony because hundreds, if not thousands, of kids were watching him. I was setting Tebow to a very high standard because of his fame. God pointed out to me I stand in front of a classroom of teen-agers every day. I am teaching just over 50 kids this year. I may not be on national television living out my faith, but I am living it out in front of 50 seventh-twelfth graders this year. I am every bit as responsible for the way I conduct my life, my walk and my love for God as Tebow is. I have no business expecting and praying Tebow be circumspect and wise in his actions because of the number of youths he influences if I'm not expecting and praying the same thing for myself.
     As I said, it's not nice when God takes your prayers for someone else and uses them to convict you. If you want to be an effective prayer warrior though, it is sometimes necessary for God to take you off the high horse you put yourself on and get you back to a place where you can be that righteous person whose prayers are effectual and fervent and avail much with God.