GALATIANS 6:4

“But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting, but to himself alone, and not to another.”

Do you remember those days in school when your teacher would announce a pop test? I hated that. I was a pretty good student, but I didn’t like those surprise tests. But then she would say when everyone was finished, “Okay, I want each of you to grade your own paper as I call out the answers.” Now you would see how you did on that unexpected test. Only you and the teacher would know the result, unless you shared it with someone else.

Paul tells the Galatians to take out that clean sheet of paper and prepare to examine themselves. It did not matter what others thought about them. It only mattered what God thought. They were to measure themselves not against someone else but only Jesus and His expectations of them. Then and only then would they have reason for rejoicing, and even then, only in Him.

APPLICATION

Proverbs 14:14 says, “A good man shall be satisfied from himself.” A good man (or woman) shall examine himself according to God’s law. When he finds himself in agreement with God, he can rejoice. Albert Barnes says this in regard to this verse. “Here is the true secret of happiness. It consists: (1) In not forming an improper estimate of ourselves; in knowing just what we are, (2) in leading such a life that it may be examined to the core, and (3) in not being dependent on the fickle applause of the world for our comfort.”

What is your measure of yourself? How do you measure yourself? Each week in a weekly meeting I am in, we have to measure ourselves in about seven or eight areas. One of those is our walk with God. Another is our family life. These categories give us a snapshot of that particular week. My score changes weekly. I am never the same. Things change every week and how I respond to those things change as well.

But there is one area in which I shall never change, in which I can measure myself well. That area is in my personal relationship with Christ. I know it is secure. I know I am sealed for all eternity under the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. Nothing will ever change that. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

Father, examine me and show me my faults so that I can better represent You to others.