What Do You Believe Correctly Measures a Person?

There are times when it’s difficult confronting a task that has to be done, especially if the work is unpleasant. When a task is avoided, feelings of anger or guilt may surface. Embarrassment can be a powerful motivator for correcting mistakes and failure to act responsibly.

It’s difficult to face others when humiliation appears imminent. We as human beings consistently measure ourselves by others’ achievements and by what significant others expect. Self-evaluations are prompted by being accepted or rejected by others.

The measure of our personhood is often determined by how we manage the gifts and talents God has bestowed on us. Being responsible and productive are strong contributors to a positive self-image. Romans 12:3 acknowledges God will judge us according to the measure of faith he has assigned to us and the ways we manage what he puts into our care during our time here on earth.                      

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…Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you.

~Romans 12:3 The Living Bible

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In What Way Does God Measure Each Person?

What is the standard by which a person is measured in America today? We know in some cultures of the world young boys are conditioned and indoctrinated to hate everyone who is not a member their faith and then to be willing to die for that faith, regardless of how out-of-touch with reality it may be.

I realize there are beliefs designed to teach boys how to exhibit masculine attributes, to the detriment of others. In some elements of our culture the measure of a person is determined by the weapons that are possessed and if there is a willingness to use them against others.

What does God use to measure a person? God measures people by their capacity to love and serve him enthusiastically for the good of others. A heart of compassion exemplifies a person with courage to stand for what is good and righteous. 

God commanded all people to be holy, so your trust and faith in Jesus Christ is what marks you as righteous and holy.                        

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…Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

~Romans 12:3 New Living Translation

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Is God Interested in Where You Fit In Socially?

It’s perfectly normal for parents to see their infants as exceptionally gifted. The family can, however, become a prime source of stress for a child when parents are inordinately focused on achievements rather than loving each child for who they are and what they are becoming.

Status-seeking is often loaded with stress, especially when parents depend on their children to fit in socially. The older a child, the more important it is that the child fits in with a particular group. Social status continues to be a source of stress due to our competitive nature. We measure up if we’re accepted into certain groups.

Yet, God’s word warns about thinking of yourself as being above others, which conveys social striving. 

Knowing that Jesus loves you and all others unconditionally should reduce this striving. God’s love compels you to love and accept others regardless of their social position. Because God loves his creation unconditionally, we are all precious in his sight. 

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[Jesus said,] “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.”

~Luke 13:24  English Standard Version

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Samson's Hidden Riddle: Who's the Smartest?

The book of Judges portrays Samson as intelligent and bright but possessed with a proclivity for mischievousness. On one occasion he hatched up a riddle for the young men at his wedding party to solve. His motive was to win a wager and prove his intellectual superiority. Ulterior motives disguised the truth behind attitudes and objectives. 

Samson knew his riddle was impossible to solve because he alone knew all its components. The young men who took the challenge offered his bride this alternative: "Get the answer to Samson's riddle or we'll burn down your father's house with you in it. Were we invited to this party to be humiliated and lose all our possessions?"  

Samson's values clashed with God’s calling and purpose for his life. When impure motives are used as an incentive to engage in behavior that is unsuitable for believers in Jesus Christ, we subject ourselves to natural consequences that serve up sorrow and regret. This, then, becomes a wake-up call to return to a lifestyle that honors and glorifies the Lord God. 

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Don’t cherish exaggerated ideas of yourself or your importance, but try to have a sane estimate of your capabilities by the light of the faith that God has given you.

~Romans 12:3 Phillips – The New Testament in Modern English

The Best Balancing Act

When Leah gave birth to four sons for Jacob, her sister Rachel went into a panic because she herself was unable to conceive. One sure way a woman could please her husband was to give birth to sons, which insured security and feelings of fulfillment. Rachel’s desperation is expressed in Genesis 30. "When she could not conceive, she became jealous and said to Jacob, ‘Give me children or I will die.’"

Have you had similar feelings longing for something so special and fulfilling that nothing else could surpass its value? Rachel's passion for a child consumed her. She couldn't let it go. Giving birth to a baby was essential to her identity and sense of mental health. She desperately needed to feel equal to her sister.

T. S. Eliot believed that nothing was more important than thinking appropriately well of oneself. However, the apostle Paul admonishes us not to think higher of ourselves than we should. What helps you from going overboard is balancing what Christ has done for you and what you’ve committed to him.