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Musings on Faith #69 Serve With Humility | |
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"If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load (Galatians 6:3-5, NIV)." The King James translation of verse 4 says "But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another." Oh, the messes we get in when we get to thinking that we are ‘something’! Pride, indeed, does go before a fall. I would almost say that anyone who hasn’t suffered the ill effects of his or her own pride has not lived, or not lived very long. It is a prevalent human condition. But the pride, or "rejoicing in himself alone" which Paul is speaking of here is not that sort of pride. Rather, it is the inner peace (which, if shared, often becomes the humanistic pride of Proverbs, and is then destroyed) which comes from a spiritual fulfilling brought about by testing one’s self as against no other man or woman, but by the loving wishes of the Lord for our service and well-being. Even in the Church (or should I say, ‘especially’) we can stumble and fall when we become prideful of our position or service in the Church, as compared to others in the |
(Continued) congregation. That is a violation of the admonition not to compare ourselves with somebody else. Avoid it, dear friends! Failure to avoid it dampens our witness, lessens the blessing of our works, and can even harm the faithfulness or worship of others in the Church. In the same way, it can lead to disruptions in all avenues of our daily lives. Let humility be the watchword. Let our service, insofar as possible, be in secret, or at least without fanfare. Otherwise, we may very well fall into deceiving ourselves. And where, then, is our reward? It has vanished, as the chaff in the fire. "If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. And who, pray tell, is ‘nothing’? All of us, apart from the mercies and grace of God! Therefore, let us not compare ourselves to others, for in some cases it can lead to humanistic pride, and in others to a feeling of defeat, when we determine that we don’t measure up. Either way, it is an unhealthy thing, and to be avoided. Let us "Each one . . . test his own actions" against themselves, and against no one else. For we live by faith in the only One who measured up, Jesus Christ. No deception there! Yours in Christ, Tom Woodard |
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