Finding Where You Fit In

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.

Roman 12:3

Let me be honest with you. Many people waste a lot of time wishing they were something or someone they aren’t. It’s very difficult for us to think of ourselves with sober judgment... to see and accept ourselves for who we really are. So, many of us think ourselves more highly than we ought to.

Now, the world will tell you that just about the worst thing that can happen is for you to have a poor opinion of yourself. For you to think you aren’t beautiful enough or smart enough or capable enough. But the Bible is much more concerned with helping you see yourself as you really are. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t want anyone to think poorly of themselves. But I can’t think of a single Scripture that says, "Don’t think more poorly of yourself than you ought to." But Scripture does say “Don't think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment.” The point isn’t to think poorly of yourself, but to see yourself with sober judgment. The goal is to be able to see and acknowledge who and what you really are.

I’m convinced that our lives are far better when we do this... when we see ourselves as we really are… when we get our egos out of the way and think of ourselves with sober judgment. Because only then are we free to be who God made us to be instead of spending so much energy and time trying to convince ourselves and others that we are something we’re not. Denying reality is exhausting work. And it never really works.

I am very rarely (if ever) the best looking or strongest guy in any room that I'm in. I’m kinda' short. I’m very hairy. And I’m sort of weird. God didn’t make me to be a football player. He didn’t make me to be a model. He didn’t make me to pull people out of burning buildings. That’s not what I was designed for. But God gave me a sharp mind and a big heart and a generally likeable personality. God made me to be a pastor, to love people and preach His word. This is what He made me to be.

Let me explain it this way, when you look at a hammer, you can tell it was made to drive nails. A shovel was made to dig a hole. And a garden hose was made to move water. If you try to drive nails with a garden hose or dig a hole with a hammer or use a shovel to move water… it isn’t going to work very well and it’s going to be a VERY frustrating experience. So, look at yourself honestly. Don’t think of yourself more highly than you ought to. And don’t sell yourself short either. Be honest with yourself. Who are you? And what has God made you to do?

Peter Wept (W.o.W. Rewind)

 Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

Mark 14:72

Peter had big failures, but he also had big regret. He was not blind to his sin, and he wasn’t too proud to grieve over and repent of it. That is why there was hope for Peter. And that is why I fear there may not be hope for some of our churches. 

You see, we have big failures too. Our churches today are full of big failures, major sins. But there is no weeping. No regret. No repentance like this. When was the last time someone came forward in your church and anointed the altar with holy tears? When was the last time someone wept over their sins? When was the last time you wept over your sin?

It’s not that we don’t sin anymore. It’s not that our failures and our sins aren’t that big. That isn’t it. It’s that we just aren’t that moved by them. We explain them away. We think that sex outside of marriage doesn’t really matter, that divorce doesn’t really matter, that greed and all manner of worldliness doesn’t really matter. And, perhaps worst of all, we think that repentance doesn’t really matter. So, we just move on and expect God to forgive us.

But sin that hasn’t been repented of is a hindrance to your intimacy with God. Many of you aren’t as close to God as you used to be and you can’t figure out why. And it’s because of your sin. Sins that you willingly committed against God and haven’t repented of. It is holding you back in your relationship with the Lord.

So, allow yourself to be broken over your sins. Name them before your God and ask for His forgiveness and see if He won’t restore you to close relationship and usefulness to Him, just as Peter was eventually restored and used in amazing ways.

Encouraged and United

My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love...

Colossians 2:2

Here are two goals the Apostle Paul had for the church at Colossae, and they are excellent goals for us to strive for in our own churches as well.

The first goal is that they may be “encouraged in heart.” It’s so easy for believers to become discouraged since the very current of the world pulls against us. In the original language this word for ‘encourage’ means “to call to one’s side.” All of us need people who will come alongside us to strengthen and encourage us when times are tough. All of us need that strength and encouragement that come from knowing we aren’t alone. Be that for someone in your church. Find someone to come alongside and encourage. Find someone to help as you walk the road of faith together.

Paul’s second goal is that they would be “united in love.” Several Bible translations say “knit together in love.” I like that, because that’s how relationships happen in the church. Now I’m no expert when it comes to knitting, but I do know that you don’t just pile yarn up in a basket and expect it to turn into a sweater. It takes intentionality. You have to knit that yarn together with a certain stitch that makes a pattern and binds it all together. 

Most of the time, relationships are the same. Close Christian friendships don’t just happen automatically. You can’t just sit people down in the same pew and expect them to become best friends. It takes intentionality. Somebody, has to be intentional. Somebody has to start a conversation, or invite the other person over to lunch, or plan a game night, or something in order for your lives to intertwine.

Far too many people visit and even regularly attend churches for months and then leave simply because this never happened. The preaching was good. The music was good. They liked the people. But they never plugged in. They never got knit into any kind of community there. They had no relationships at the church. So, the next time life pulled on them, there was nothing holding them in place and they left. That shouldn't happen in our churches. 

So, knit yourself to other believers. Link up. Connect. If you’re new to a church, don’t just hang around the edges and wait for someone else to make the first move. Plug in, build relationships, take that risk. And if you’ve been at your church for a long time and don’t need new friends… reach out anyway. You may not need them, but they may need you. 

Rooted and Built Up in Him

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him...

Colossians 2:6-7a

There was a danger that the believers in Colossae would be moved off Jesus and move on to some other teaching. So, God commands them to continue to live in Jesus just as they had received Him. You see, there is no teaching, no doctrine, no wisdom that goes beyond Christ. He is all in all! We receive Him in salvation and then… we continue living in Him for the rest of our lives!

And verse seven explains what this looks like using two metaphors. The first comes from plants. It’s the word “rooted.” When you got saved you were rooted in Christ like a plant in soil. You grow in Him and your growth comes from Him. And your connection to Him is what keeps you standing.

Have you ever tried to pull a bush or a tree up by its roots? It’s very difficult. In fact, if the roots are alive and if they have any depth in the soil at all, then it's nearly impossible. That’s what your connection to Jesus should be like. You should be rooted in Him! Like roots that delve always deeper into life-giving soil, you should dig down deeper into Jesus continuously seeking a deeper understanding of who He is and a stronger personal relationship with Him. He is the source of all your firmness and all your spiritual life. If the enemy uproots you from Him… you will not stand. You'll die spiritually just like a plant that’s been pulled up out of the soil and left sitting on top of the ground

The second metaphor comes from the world of construction. Verse 7 says we are in the process of being “built up” in Jesus. Looking at the original language, the image here is of a building that is being built from the ground up layer upon layer.* And how is this building being built in Jesus? The only conclusion I can come to is that Jesus is the very foundation that this building is being built upon.

Now, I don’t know much about construction, but as the father of three children, I have quite a bit of experience building block towers. And even I know that as long as you build on a solid foundation and as long as each layer stays in line, directly above the last layer, the tower or the building will be stable. But if the foundation you are building on isn’t stable OR if the layers begin to move off center from that foundation to one side or the other, then the tower will begin to lean and eventually it will topple.

That’s exactly what you and I are like. We are being built up in Jesus, layer upon layer. And as long as we stay centered on that solid foundation we will stand, but if we begin to get off center… if we begin to be moved off Jesus… it will spell disaster for us. We will not stand. We will topple.

So, keep yourself rooted to and centered on Jesus! Refuse to be moved off Him! Keep your doctrine, your beliefs, and your life always in line with what you know to be true about Him. Dig down deeper and deeper into your relationship with Him. And don’t allow anyone to pull you away from Jesus, or your faith will become as dead as an uprooted plant and as unstable as a leaning tower.

*Vincent, Marvin Richardson. Word Studies in the New Testament. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1887.