Galatians 6:3-5
"If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load."
Over the last two weeks, we looked at gently restoring others and carrying others burdens. I think the person who can do that is a pretty amazing Christian! Don't you? And this is where verse 3 may jar us a bit as it almost sounds like Paul is putting these amazing Christians down! But, he has a point. I can imagine thinking, "Ain't I something for sacrificing my time to drive Betty around?" or "Wasn't that wonderful of me to take that hour to listen to Jordan and pray with him while Mike watched the football game?" But watch out! We may be tempted to think we are something (the Saviour perhaps??) when we are not or be tempted to determine the merit of our actions by comparing with someone else. The passage ends with the reality that "each one should carry their own load" and this means that the responsiblity to determine whether or not our actions were right, loving, and godly lies with us. We need to test our actions - not distract ourselves from facing reality by comparing with others or deceiving ourselves by thinking we are other than we are.
The framework through which I view this passage is humility. But then what's up with pride in the middle of a passage about humility? Well, it seems that there is a right kind of pride (the pride of a job well done) and it is compatable with humility. Let's think about humility for a bit. Humility isn't unthinking towards itself. It doesn't ignore, neglect, or reject the self but it also doesn't think more highly of itself than it ought to (Romans 12:3) or use other people to define it. Humility has a very accurate view of oneself. It is very attentive and responsible, not deceived or distracted. Looking at this passage, I think that one possible definition of humility is an honest self-assessment before the Lord.
So, my proposal is that if we cultivate genuine self-appraisal, we will then be able to "take pride in oneself without comparing" because we take on the responsibility of testing our own actions. In order to do this, we need something to test our actions against - but not other people! We need an internal standard of success that is defined by God. This takes hard work! The work of facing ourselves fully, getting to know God and His Word well, and then alining our lives with His ways as we walk in the Spirit.
When I was in university, I was involved with Campus Crusade for Christ and learned a definition of "succesful evangelism" that might be helpful here. Bill Bright (CCC's founder) said that succesful evangelism was "taking the initiative in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results to God". I think this could be altered to guide us on testing our actions on anything. We can ask ourselves: Did I take the initiative* in the power of the Holy Spirit to follow God's commands and trust the outcomes to Him? If so, then I think you can joyfully take pride in yourself!
What do you think? Want to give it a try? Let me encourage you over this next week to ask yourself this question when you are tempted to compare yourself with others.
*Remember, we each must carry our own load which means we are responsible for initiating our obedience. God doesn't "make" us do anything. He speaks, guides, and empowers but we still need to act.
Over the last two weeks, we looked at gently restoring others and carrying others burdens. I think the person who can do that is a pretty amazing Christian! Don't you? And this is where verse 3 may jar us a bit as it almost sounds like Paul is putting these amazing Christians down! But, he has a point. I can imagine thinking, "Ain't I something for sacrificing my time to drive Betty around?" or "Wasn't that wonderful of me to take that hour to listen to Jordan and pray with him while Mike watched the football game?" But watch out! We may be tempted to think we are something (the Saviour perhaps??) when we are not or be tempted to determine the merit of our actions by comparing with someone else. The passage ends with the reality that "each one should carry their own load" and this means that the responsiblity to determine whether or not our actions were right, loving, and godly lies with us. We need to test our actions - not distract ourselves from facing reality by comparing with others or deceiving ourselves by thinking we are other than we are.
The framework through which I view this passage is humility. But then what's up with pride in the middle of a passage about humility? Well, it seems that there is a right kind of pride (the pride of a job well done) and it is compatable with humility. Let's think about humility for a bit. Humility isn't unthinking towards itself. It doesn't ignore, neglect, or reject the self but it also doesn't think more highly of itself than it ought to (Romans 12:3) or use other people to define it. Humility has a very accurate view of oneself. It is very attentive and responsible, not deceived or distracted. Looking at this passage, I think that one possible definition of humility is an honest self-assessment before the Lord.
So, my proposal is that if we cultivate genuine self-appraisal, we will then be able to "take pride in oneself without comparing" because we take on the responsibility of testing our own actions. In order to do this, we need something to test our actions against - but not other people! We need an internal standard of success that is defined by God. This takes hard work! The work of facing ourselves fully, getting to know God and His Word well, and then alining our lives with His ways as we walk in the Spirit.
When I was in university, I was involved with Campus Crusade for Christ and learned a definition of "succesful evangelism" that might be helpful here. Bill Bright (CCC's founder) said that succesful evangelism was "taking the initiative in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results to God". I think this could be altered to guide us on testing our actions on anything. We can ask ourselves: Did I take the initiative* in the power of the Holy Spirit to follow God's commands and trust the outcomes to Him? If so, then I think you can joyfully take pride in yourself!
What do you think? Want to give it a try? Let me encourage you over this next week to ask yourself this question when you are tempted to compare yourself with others.
*Remember, we each must carry our own load which means we are responsible for initiating our obedience. God doesn't "make" us do anything. He speaks, guides, and empowers but we still need to act.
Hi Tracy!
ReplyDeleteWow, so much in this entry! There's a lot to digest here.
Your definition of humility reminded me of C. S Lewis' description in The Screwtape Letters:
"God wants to bring man to a state of mind in which he could design the best cathedral in the world, and know it to be the best, and rejoice in the, fact, without being any more (or
less) or otherwise glad at having done it than he would be if it had been done by another. God wants him, in the end, to be so free from any bias in his own favour that he can rejoice in his own talents as frankly and gratefully as
in his neighbour's talents—or in a sunrise, an elephant, or a waterfall."
I think your comments about taking responsibility to test our own actions and cultivate genuine self-appraisal are incisive and important. It makes me think that this kind of teaching is easily neglected in church. Personally, I find this challenging because I can suffer from a tendency to over-analyse and second guess myself which makes it hard for me to make clear self-assessments.