| “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought…” |
| —Romans 12:3b |
One of the delightful experiences with children is to watch them develop their sense of “self.” As they grow from toddler-hood, they begin to fantasize about who they are. Little girls may think of themselves as princesses, or mommies, or teachers. Little boys may think of themselves as firefighters, or police officers, or cowboys, or superheroes. But, as children grow into adults, we hope to observe some reality settling into their sense of self.
In their teenage years, some boys see themselves as invincible sports heroes with a sense of being arrogantly entitled and some girls see themselves as deeply unworthy and learn to draw their sense of self from the boys who date them. In both cases, their sense of self has become harmfully distorted. Good and loving parents can help teens keep a proper perspective on their sense of self—a perspective that is realistic and well-balanced.
As believers in Christ, we must know who we are in order to properly relate to others. That’s why the Apostle Paul penned these words in Romans 12:3:
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.
As Paul suggests, we must learn to use sober judgment when we think about who we are. On the one hand, we are sinners, separated from God by our sin. On the other hand, before the foundation of the earth, God chose us to belong to Himself. He loves us and sent His one and only Son, Jesus, to die in our place, in order to pay the penalty for our sins. God raised Jesus from the dead to give us victory over death.
So, our true identity rests in Christ. We are chosen, forgiven, and in the process of being made holy. Let us remember all through this day that no matter what anyone may say about us, our identity in Christ is secure. He gives us our true sense of self. And that, dear ones, is absolutely amazing!
Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, July 19, 2016
