Quality:

(2 Tim 3:16 KJV) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (2 Tim 3:17 KJV) That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Funk & Wagnall's Standard Desk Dictionary, Volume 2, copyright 1993 by Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc. defines "quality" as follows: 1. That which makes something such as it is; a distinguishing element or characteristic. 2. The basic or essential character, nature, etc. of something. 3. Excellence: quality rather than quantity. 4. The degree of excellence. 5. A moral or personality trait or characteristic. 6. Music The timbre of a voice or musical instrument. 7. Archaic High or superior social rank or birth; also, persons of superior rank, collectively. -adj. Of superior quality.

[ Growing up, "quality" generally meant to me, the degree of excellence of something, as compared to something else. For instance, a toy or tool which didn't last as long as another was considered to be of lower quality. So, therefore, the quality of something was generally my impression, or rating of one thing compared to another, or compared to my expectations of the thing. As I grew up, I quickly realized that quality has a cost, and that our choices of quality, when given a choice, are often a trade-off between how much quality we would like and how much we are willing to pay. This is the way of things. But, even with unlimited resources, there is a limit to the performance characteristics or excellence of any given product, to which it can be produced. So, at the upper limit,  this highest quality, but most expensive thing becomes the standard of excellence to which others are compared.]

[ Today, however, the definition of quality has taken on some new meanings, at least in my understanding. The quality of something may be defined as it's performance to expectations as compared to something which has clearly defined characteristics, compared to something else with clearly defined characteristics, and so on. The thing to which other things is compared may be called a "Standard". And these standards are compared with other standards, etc. And the measured quality of something may include cost along with all other aspects and characteristics. Quality may also be a comparison of groups of similar things, with the degree of consistency and repeatability becoming the measurable characteristics, and standard of excellence. For example, a fast food chain restaurant that can consistently deliver consistent food quality in a consistent amount of time, and for a consistent price may actually be considered to be a high quality restaurant, merely because of their consistency and ability to meet their customers' expectations!]

Funk & Wagnall's Standard Desk Dictionary, Volume 2, copyright 1993 by Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc. defines "standard" as follows: 1. A flag, ensign, or banner, used as a distinctive emblem of a government, body of men, military unit, etc. 2. Any established measure of extent, quantity, quality, or value: a standard of weight. 3. Any type, model, or example for comparison; a criterion for excellence: a standard of conduct. -adj. 1. Serving as a gauge or model: a standard weight. 2. Of recognized excellence or authority: a standard book or author. 3. Ling. Designated or belonging to those usages or varieties of a language that have gained literary, cultural, and social acceptance and prestige: standard English.

[ By the way, the same dictionary also states the following," "STANDARD" is a registered trademark of  Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc." I wonder how they managed to do that. I'd like to see how they filled out their paperwork when they applied for that trademark license. I could not find that exact capitalized word anywhere else in the book, not even on the front cover. But bear in mind that if anyone were to publish the word, "STANDARD" anywhere, and not acknowledge Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc., there may be grounds for a law suit. Fascinating.

 I work in a business which is very quality conscious, and deal with many different varieties of standards. We use many standards for comparison of electrical and physical measurements. These standards are, in turn, compared with better, more accurate standards, and so on, until the final comparison is to nationally or internationally accepted standards which are maintained by NIST or some other agency. And we have a very well outlined quality management system for maintaining consistency, and repeatability in the business, by maintaining controlled processes and procedures, auditing, corrective action, etc. Even this quality management system is compared to a standard quality management system called ISO 9001. All of this is probably starting to sound boring. Actually, it is quite interesting!

 But, for a little break, think about this. A foot is a well known unit of measure today. When it first came into being, a foot was actually the length of one's foot from heal to toe. And a cubit , roughly 18 inches, was the length of one's forearm, elbow to finger tips. Depending on the size of the person, the measurements could have a great deal of variance. This was how and why standardization of measurements came into being. Even then a lot of variance may have existed, unless the measuring tools were periodically compared to some other standard and adjusted or corrected (calibrated). During the great industrial age this became extremely important. Even among auto manufacturers during this century. Cadillac was one of the first to standardize their measurement tools used in their machining processes. They set up their own calibration system and regularly calibrated their gauges, primarily, to a set of Johannsen gauge blocks. Therefore, they were able to build better, more consistent engines with tighter tolerances, improved quality, and reduced overall cost of production. This built them a reputation for excellence. Rolls Royce does even better by building a consistently high quality product, and then including an amazing guarantee, a lifetime one!

 So, where am I leading with all of this? Think on these things for a minute. If you were to design a quality system for the human race, where would you start? How would you determine what is best for these people, in terms of consistency, repeatability, longevity, quality of life, ease of maintenance, minimal cost, etc.? Where would you start? What would be the standards? Who would maintain them? What type of processes and procedures would work? What would you use to ensure that management review and corrective action take place as intended?

 I was sitting in a meeting recently when a discussion about some process came up. One person in the meeting piped up with a comment something like, "Well, it's not a controlled procedure or anything. It's like the Bible. The Bible isn't a process instruction!" My reaction to this was rather abrupt and very opinionated. I said, "Yes it is! It's THE process instruction!"  This stirred some reaction. Things looked like they could really erupt, so I said, "Look, I really don't want to talk about this here and now. It'll probably blow up into a really hot, hot discussion!" I had this reaction because of my strong belief in the Bible, and even more so because I was sitting with a group of people who say they are Christians. In fact, the one who made that comment is a Sunday school teacher! Amazing. 

 But this all made me really realize just how much the Bible IS a process instruction, or group of instructions. (And then the Holy Spirit prompted me to create this page.) I might even call the Holy Bible "THE STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE for humans to follow". It is an all encompassing quality system given to us by, none other than, our very creator. Now, who else could possibly know what is best for us? He has given us our very lives, His love, His guidance, His Words. The Bible is a historical record (past, present and future) of God's involvement with us from the creation to eternity. It's His guidelines and commandments for us to follow, and examples of what happens when we do, or do not, follow them. It's His love story to us, to comfort us and help us to love others the way He does. It's a set of really wonderful books bound into one, written by the one and only God. It is also a very lovable example of a "Standard" to live by. On top of all that, the Word of God contains a way to live forever in His kingdom. (See my other page on this: Salvation.) Awesome! 

 The KJV Bible does not contain the word "quality", but it does contain the word, "standard". Read on!

"standard*" word search
(Num 1:52 KJV)  And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts.

(Num 2:2 KJV)  Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch.

(Num 2:3 KJV)  And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies: and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the children of Judah.

(Num 2:10 KJV)  On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben according to their armies: and the captain of the children of Reuben shall be Elizur the son of Shedeur.

(Num 2:17 KJV)  Then the tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camp: as they encamp, so shall they set forward, every man in his place by their standards.

(Num 2:18 KJV)  On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their armies: and the captain of the sons of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud.

(Num 2:25 KJV)  The standard of the camp of Dan shall be on the north side by their armies: and the captain of the children of Dan shall be Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

(Num 2:31 KJV)  All they that were numbered in the camp of Dan were an hundred thousand and fifty and seven thousand and six hundred. They shall go hindmost with their standards.

(Num 2:34 KJV)  And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses: so they pitched by their standards, and so they set forward, every one after their families, according to the house of their fathers.

(Num 10:14 KJV)  In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Judah according to their armies: and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

(Num 10:18 KJV)  And the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elizur the son of Shedeur.

(Num 10:22 KJV)  And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elishama the son of Ammihud.

(Num 10:25 KJV)  And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan set forward, which was the rereward of all the camps throughout their hosts: and over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

(Isa 10:18 KJV)  And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and they shall be as when a standardbearer fainteth.

(Isa 49:22 KJV)  Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.

(Isa 59:19 KJV)  So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.

(Isa 62:10 KJV)  Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.

(Jer 4:6 KJV)  Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.

(Jer 4:21 KJV)  How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?

(Jer 50:2 KJV)  Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces.

(Jer 51:12 KJV)  Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for the LORD hath both devised and done that which he spake against the inhabitants of Babylon.

(Jer 51:27 KJV)  Set ye up a standard in the land, blow the trumpet among the nations, prepare the nations against her, call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz; appoint a captain against her; cause the horses to come up as the rough caterpillars.