Thinking of Yourself Less

"For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith." - Romans 12:3 (NKJV)

Humility is not thinking less of yourself. It is thinking of yourself less. And it is not talking down about yourself either. It is talking accurately about yourself.

We can have a false humility in the church where someone says, "I cannot do anything. I have nothing to contribute. Nobody wants me around. Nobody needs me." That is not genuine humility. That is still an unhealthy preoccupation with yourself, just in the other direction. Romans 12:3 says not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think. The "more highly than you ought" part means believing you can do anything and that everyone should simply follow your lead.

For example, I would love to have played college or professional basketball. I enjoy watching college and NBA today. No matter how hard I tried, I still remained 5'11", and I still could not shoot a jump shot well enough to compete at that level. You can get better at things, absolutely. But you are also working within the design God gave you. So the better question is not "What can I do?" or "What do I want to do?" but "What has God gifted me to do?"

Sometimes in a local church someone will say they think they should teach, but they have no gift for it. Or they think they should lead, but they are actually a gifted servant who works better behind the scenes. There is a gift envy that can creep in. The Bible says not to think more highly of yourself than you ought. That does not mean do not think highly of yourself at all. It means ask the right question. "What contribution am I supposed to make? Am I supposed to teach? Am I supposed to lead? Am I supposed to love on children? Am I supposed to serve in the background where nobody sees?" And then say with complete accuracy, "I can do those things through Christ who gives me strength." (see Phil. 4:13).

D.L. Moody was an evangelist of a previous generation, highly used by God. He made this observation about fruit trees. The ones with no fruit are the ones where the branches are sticking straight up, maybe even the tallest trees in the orchard. But the trees with the most fruit are bowed low under the weight of all that fruit. He said, show me a fruitful Christian, and I will show you a humble Christian bowed low under the weight of what God is doing through them. Show me a fruitless Christian, and I will show you one who is puffed up where everybody can see them.

"Lowliness" does not mean a low view of yourself. It means not thinking more highly of yourself than you ought. The Bible says "God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble" (see James 4:6). If you want God as an opponent, keep thinking of yourself more highly than you ought. If you want God as a partner, humble yourself.

Reflection Question: Are you honestly asking, "What has God gifted me to do?" or are you trying to serve in someone else's giftedness?

Dear Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I have thought more highly of myself than I ought, and for the times I have minimized the places you have wanted me to serve. Help me to think soberly and accurately. Help me to find the place where You have gifted me and stay there, trusting that it is exactly what You want me to do and where You want me to serve. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Check out: "What Makes a Great Church" (Ephesians 4:1-3): https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/hkkjzjx/13-what-makes-a-great-church-eph-4-1-3