1 Corinthians 10:23-24
Romans 12:2-3 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will. 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.
Have you ever known someone that thought they were the best at everything? Do you know someone that thinks that they aren’t good at anything? Are you someone given to either of those ways of thinking? Both of those views actually show something about who you worship.
Right after saying that God wants us to give our bodies as living sacrifices (as we discussed yesterday) Paul turned to the topic of renewing our minds as a way of not being like the world. Thinking is something that everyone does. Controlling the thoughts we allow to linger in our minds isn’t something that we think about very often but Paul understood the importance of renewing our minds. It is so easy to let our minds rule us instead of us managing our thoughts. But how does that fit in with worship?
That’s where our earlier questions come into play. The people in the questions above have one very big thing in common – thinking about self. If their main focus is on themselves then who does that say that they are worshipping? When we are thinking about ourselves so often, it shows that we are on the throne of our hearts. And if we are on the throne, Christ can’t be.
This is why Paul says that we need to have a sober self-judgment. The New Living Translation says it this way, “Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves.” To have a proper view of ourselves we have to measure ourselves next to God. Can we even begin to equate ourselves with Him? If we are to worship Him as we should, we need to place Him in the proper place in our life and thinking.
Making It Personal
If you were honest with yourself, which of the two types of people are you? Have you ever thought about how this thinking of yourself was really a way of worshipping yourself instead of God? What steps do you need to take to renew your thinking?
Making It Personal Kids
Do you have things about yourself that you really like? How about things that you don’t like about yourself? How do you think God looks at you? Try to think of yourself as God thinks of you.
Closing Prayer
Father, please help us see ourselves clearly. Keep us from thinking of ourselves in ways that aren’t how You see us. We want to worship You and only You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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