Self-Assessment

When it comes to self-assessment, there seems to be two types of people in this world, and neither of us gets it right.

First, there are those who when they succeed, it is because of something they did.  However, if they fail it was something outside of their control.  We always think that we are the best, and we associate ourselves with winning and winners.  There are the people who, when the sports team they like wins, say “we won” and when the same team loses next week say “they lost.”

On the other hand, there are those who take full responsibility for their failures and no credit for anything they do right.  We all know that Christian who, upon being congratulated for the great solo she sang in church, simply bows her head and points to the sky, as if somehow Jesus miraculously sang through her as a soprano today and she had nothing to do with it.

Paul tells us not to judge ourselves more highly than we ought, and I think we shouldn’t judge ourselves less either.  God made us and gave us talents, and when we use them for Him, it’s ok to know that we did a good job.  He wants us to feel valuable.  This doesn’t mean we become arrogant; just know that we are doing what God made us to do.  We are fulfilling the purpose that He has for us, no matter the result.