Honest Reflection

For by the grace (ca,rij charis) 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 (sensible), in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts (ca,risma charisma), according to the grace (ca,rij charis) given us… Romans 12:3-6a

When Paul tells me that I should not think more highly of myself than I ought, I am inclined to remember how as a kid growing up I was firmly told not to be proud – not to think too highly of myself (arrogant). I remember sermons where the preacher said we should remind ourselves that we are nothing. As I read this passage I hear Paul saying that I should look at my life with honesty and see how God has shaped me. We all have gifts and abilities and I need to look at who I am, not who I think others want me to be, or even who I would prefer to be. When I play hockey, I cannot be a goalie and forward at the same time. We all have a part to play in order for the team to be most effective.