Uppity Thinking …
Romans 12:3 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.
Than he ought??? Strong’s Concordance defines this as necessary/necessity…
Sound judgement??? to put a moderate estimate upon one’s self…
Now some would say this means we should all lower ourselves to be equal with dirt to make sure we are NEVER prideful, because pride seems to be ANY thought of self and ANY claim of worthiness.
I would agree that pride does lay next to assessment of self. But the verse above does not indicate that we “ought not” think of ourselves… ever.
The best pastor (Johnny V. Miller) I have known, used to say, “Not your IN look, but your UP look, will change your OUTLOOK.” (I don’t know if that was an original saying by him or he was quoting someone else.)
We must LOOK IN to know ourselves. But to believe that we can change who we are by “spinning” what we see into something we think is more acceptable to those whom we believe are watching, is believing we have power and authority over our world. Though we can want to change for all the right reasons, it is just as prideful to claim ownership as the master of our domain.
Eve “saw” that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that it was desirable to make one wise (Genesis 3:4)… spinning… and look who triggered it… the snake!
Let me say it again… it is good to KNOW yourself! It is WISE to know yourself!
But what Satan and Eve were spinning was not wisdom, it was seeking a reason for SELF ENTHRONEMENT, and independence from their Creator.
To speak the TRUTH (in love) is never about pride… Pride, in its sinful nature, is about lies. Lies we tell ourselves and lies we are told. Sinful pride isn’t about love, it is about lust… pleasing our old nature which is demanding it’s seat on our throne of life.
It is necessary to know who you are. But it is imperative to know who owns us (God) and what He thinks about us.
Isaiah 49:16 “Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me.”
More highly than I ought…???…I am blown away!
Romans 8:16-17 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ,
To think so as to have sound judgment… ??? … it’s kind of “freaky” (you Jesus Freaks out there) to think (and boast about it) I am a child of THE MOST HIGH GOD!
And an heir also…???…royalty!
No, my IN LOOK does not give me cause for pride and celebration and joy in life, but my UP LOOK, not only gives me cause but demands a change in my OUTLOOK.
I am UPPITY when it comes to how I think of myself. The difference between this and sinful pride is the subject of my boasting and the unearned position He has given me.
I do not boast in my SELF… I boast in God! I do not believe I have earned His favor nor do I think I hold a position above any of His other children.
Though God did create dirt… He created man/woman to be like Himself.
Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;”
For me to see myself or any other man or woman as less is a sin… an abomination to the truth. For me to see myself or any other man or woman as more is a sin… an abomination to the truth.
But to see myself and every other man or woman as God sees us… RIGHTEOUS!
Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
Definitely “Uppity Thinking…
But I say… Let’s go for it!
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible