By David ReayWednesday 12 Sep 2018LifeWords DevotionalsFaithReading Time: 2 minutes
Read Romans 12:3
3 As your spiritual teacher I give this piece of advice to each one of you. Don’t cherish exaggerated ideas of yourself or your importance, but try to have a sane estimate of your capabilities by the light of the faith that God has given to you all. (JBP)
Some people are big-headed. They think they are the centre of the universe. They exaggerate their own importance. They overestimate their capabilities. Even some followers of Jesus can be carried away by their redeemed status. They are God’s special pets, his favourites, his indispensable allies.
Then again, some people are sunk deeply in self-loathing. Nothing I do is worthwhile. I am a miserable twisting worm of a person who is no use to anyone. If only others knew what I was really like they would despise me as I despise myself. Some followers of Jesus succumb to this, shaping their identity by their sinfulness.
Paul offers us a better way. Our ideas of our self are not to come from any distorted psychology or emotion. They come from our faith. Important to note here that this is not faith as in the strength or weakness of our everyday trust in God. It is the Christian faith itself, beyond our feelings about it or response to it.
This faith tells us we fall short of God’s standards and so shouldn’t get puffed up about our importance. It also tells us God loves us enough to want to spend eternity with us. No room for self-exaltation; no room for self-loathing. We are much loved and yet much in need of that love.
Blessings
David Reay