But each person should examine his own work, and then he will have a reason for boasting in himself alone, and not in respect to someone else.
Galatians 6: 4 (HCSB)
Scripture: I Cor. 14: 1-25
Sometimes, we have trouble looking at ourselves. We have trouble evaluating where we are in our walk with God. If we feel we are doing good, we may get prideful. If we aren’t, we may compare ourselves with others. This devotion looks at how we are to evaluate ourselves.
Cliff Notes
- We have to judge ourselves by God’s standards.
- We shouldn’t have excessive pride but neither should we downplay our God-given talents.
- We shouldn’t compare ourselves to others; rather we should imitate Jesus.
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If you’ve been reading previous devotions, you know that Mud Spring has hit us really hard. We’ve had 25 inches of rain this year, 8 inches more than average. That total has probably gone up at least an inch today.
It has been really hard for the farmers to put in their crops. Some — but still not all — are in the field and up. It is interesting to see the different heights of the corn.
When I was first growing up, Dad always said corn should be “knee high by the 4th of July.” By the time he sold the farm, it was “head high by the 4th of July.”
That got me thinking. I wonder if the farmers are comparing their crops to another farmer’s crops. We do that, don’t we?
We compare ourselves to others. The Bible says we shouldn’t. In fact, we have trouble looking at ourselves sometimes. Let’s see what Galatians 6: 4 has to say.
What Should We Judge?
“You should each judge your own conduct …” (Gal. 6: 4 GNT).
The Bible is also pretty specific about us taking stock in our own lives. Second Corinthians 13: 5 says, “Put yourselves to the test and judge yourselves, to find out whether you are living in faith. Surely you know that Christ Jesus is in you? — unless you have completely failed” (GNT). We have to judge ourselves by God’s standards.
- Is our faith as deep as it could be?
- If not, in what areas are we lacking?
- What is God calling us to do to address that?
- To where is He calling us?
These are important questions to ask ourselves. Second Timothy 2: 15 says, “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth” (NLT).
Yeah, it takes work. It is worth it because we will grow closer to God.
How Much Pride Should We Have?
“… If it is good, then you can be proud of what you yourself have done …” (Gal. 6: 4 GNT).
Pride is one of the seven deadly sins. You know, pride — where we think a lot of ourselves and focus mainly on us.
Jeremiah 9:23-24, “The LORD says: Don’t brag about your wisdom or strength or wealth. If you feel you must brag, then have enough sense to brag about worshiping me, the LORD. What I like best is showing kindness, justice, and mercy to everyone on earth” (CEV).
Did you chuckle on that last verse? “… have enough sense to …” (Jer. 9. 24 CEV). Can you just hear your mom it.
Oh, Mom would. Dad would just call us Dumb Clucks. Same thing, just more descriptive.
But we don’t need to focus necessarily on sense. We have grace. “For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith” (Rom. 12: 3 NASB).
We’ve been given that grace, too. What is grace? Grace is where God provided more than we deserved.
Everything we’ve been given is a gift from God. “Every good gift and every perfect present comes from heaven; it comes down from God, the Creator of the heavenly lights, who does not change or cause darkness by turning” (Jas. 1: 17 GNT).
God has given us so much more than we deserve. We shouldn’t get big-headed about it.
Neither should we downplay it. Second Timothy 3: 17 says, “God uses it [scripture] to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” (NLT). We have what we need to do what we have been called to do. Listen to it in the King James Version: “That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (II Tim 3: 17).
Pride, low self-esteem — this verse is a comfort for both. We are exactly as God made us.
Don’t Compare
“… without having to compare it with what someone else has done” (Gal. 6: 4 GNT).
This is the tough one. We run ourselves down so much. We also have the tendency to puff others up — sometimes more than is warranted.
Second Corinthians 10: 12 says, “We won’t dare compare ourselves with those who think so much of themselves. But they are foolish to compare themselves with themselves” (CEV). We don’t want to judge ourselves based on the world’s standards.
Remember, too, coveting was in the Ten Commandments, as in don’t. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s” (Ex. 20: 17 ESV). That list is mostly tangible items, but I am sure it includes looks, smarts, even kindness.
We all have our own spiritual gifts. “Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly …” (Rom. 12: 6 NASB)
It isn’t a competition as to whose spiritual gift is better or whose is more of the gift (Phil. 2: 3). We aren’t to be in the business of dividing the have whatever gift with the have nots. We aren’t supposed to rank the gifts.
What we are supposed to do is love one another. Remember John 15: 12: “This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you” (CEV).
Read that last part again — “… Love each other in the same way I have loved you” (Jn. 15: 12 CEV). “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you” (I Jn. 2: 15 NLT).
What Does This Mean?
God made each of us uniquely special. It doesn’t matter what Tom or Sally has because we have exactly what we need to carry out the plan He has for us.
That should give us a peace. “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid” (Jn. 14: 27 NLT). Don’t you love that? It is a little different than what I learned growing up.
But it is so true. God didn’t give us a “peace” (i.e. lack of) from financial struggles, health struggles, relationship struggles, etc. He gave us peace in our hearts and minds as we go through them.
How Do We Apply This?
God made us exactly how He can use us. “I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for” (Jer. 29: 11 GNT). So what do we have to do to get that future.
We need to thank God. “Whatever happens, keep thanking God because of Jesus Christ. This is what God wants you to do” (I Thess. 5: 18 CEV). Above all, we need to “You must love him with all [our] heart[s], soul[s], mind[s], and strength” (Mk. 12: 30 CEV). If we “commit [our] way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act” (Ps. 37: 5 ESV).
God wants us to live the life to which we are called. “Finally, my friends, keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don’t ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise” (Philippians 4:8 CEV). I’m doing this, we will be imitators of Christ (I Cor. 11: 1).
1 Thessalonians 4: 11-12 tells us how to do this in a nutshell. “… Aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one” (ESV).
Yes, it is going to be hard work. With God’s help and guidance, we can do this.
Father God. You have made us unique. You have equipped us for the tasks that You have set in front of us. Help us to do Your will. Help us to truthfully present You to those around us.
“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands” (Ps. 138: 8 ESV).
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