Wednesday, June 19, 2024
A BALANCED OPINION
OF SELF
Rom 12:3
¶ 3 For I say, through
the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of
himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according
as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Ps 139:13
14 I will praise thee;
for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my
soul knoweth right well.
I need not speak to the proud
for their ears are mostly closed to counsel. The original language of Romans
12:3 suggests that a feeling of superiority and pride is a form of insanity
because the word soophronein, which is translated soberly means a
sane and stable mind. Huperphronein then means unsound or insane
thought. This is the understanding of Adam Clarke who commented: “Soophronein
from soos, sound (sane), and phreen, the mind,
signifies to be of a sound mind; to think discreetly, modestly,
humbly. Let no man think himself more or greater than God has made him; and
let him know that whatever he is or has of good or excellence, he has it from
God; and that the glory belongs to the giver, and not to him who has received
the gift.”
(from Adam Clarke's
Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1996, 2003, 2005, 2006 by
Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
My
thoughts today are of those who are feeling a bit down
rather than proud. Self-deprecation, putting oneself down, is suggesting that
God made a mistake when he formed you and that His dealings with you are unwise
and unfair. Here is where the Psalmist helps us find balance. The word “fearfully”
means dreadful with reverence. God’s formation of me is full of wonder. He is a
craftsman without equal.
AWESOME
SPIRIT BEING CONFESSION
Because
of Christ’s redemption,
I
am an awesome spirit being
of
magnificent worth as a person.
I
am deeply loved,
I
am completely forgiven,
I
am fully pleasing to God,
totally
accepted by God in Christ.
I
am absolutely complete in Christ.
When
my performance reflects my
new
identity in Christ,
that
reflection is dynamically unique.
There
has never been another person
like
myself in the history of mankind,
nor
will there ever be.
God
has made me an original,
one
of a kind,
a
special person.
Dear Lord, let me shun both
pride and pouting. Let me walk humbly and confidently. Let my life glorify you.
AMEN
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