How can I tell if I’m keeping myself right sized?

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Romans 12:3 “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think.”

In his book, I’m Sorry, I Didn’t Mean To, and Other Lies We Love To Tell, social psychologist Jerald Jellison says we are lied to about 200 times a day. And a study by the University of Massachusetts found that the average person told two or three lies in a ten-minute conversation.

Of course, that includes the “little white lies” we tell one another. After all, what are we supposed to say when a friend asks us how we like her new (and awful) hairdo? Only the worst kind of sociopath says exactly what they think regardless of how brutal it may be or what effect it might have on someone.

So knowing that everyone lies at least some of the time doesn’t really bother me. What bothers me more are the times I lie to myself. And those are perhaps the worst kind of lies…especially since I don’t always know that I’m not telling the truth. That’s especially true when I’m examining my motives and perhaps “thinking more highly of myself than I ought.” (Rom 12:3)

It reminds me of the different mirrors in our house. The bathroom mirror with its artificial light is complimentary…or at least not brutal…to me when I fix my hair, put on makeup and do a “final check” to see if my appearance is something short of awful. And from that mirror, I usually walk away feeling satisfied that I look ok.

However, if I want to really see myself, I check the mirror in the foyer. That’s the one with the bright, natural daylight, which shows any flaws…both the obvious ones and those that weren’t so obvious in the artificial light of the bathroom. And while I prefer the bathroom mirror, I’d be lying to myself if I thought it reflected the “real” me.

Compared to the lies, deceit, betrayals, and the terrible behavior of our prodigals, we probably look pretty good to others…and even to ourselves. The problem with that is it’s not an accurate assessment. Their behavior may be “out there,” but our heart attitudes aren’t really any better, and neither is our basic nature.

In his message yesterday, our Associate Pastor said that he is basically selfish and self-centered. While I appreciate his honesty, I’m not surprised. Why? Because all of us are equally as selfish and self-centered as he is…whether we’re aware of it or not.

Years ago, our pastor once challenged the congregation by asking, “What would our church be like if everyone were as spiritual as you?” I was young and arrogant enough to think to myself that it would be better. I’m not confused about that today.

The closer I get to the Lord, the more I pray, the more I seek His face, the more I know that I am basically flawed and depraved. And even the good things I do are tainted by self-will. When I stop comparing myself with my prodigal, I begin to see myself more clearly. And with that cleared vision, I remember I’m only “one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread.”

It isn’t easy to see ourselves clearly, and it isn’t comfortable. However, seeing ourselves as we really are gives us a starting point from which to grow. It also reminds us that while the Lord accepts us just as we are, He loves us too much to let us stay that way.

Challenge for Today: What might happen if we, just for today, asked God to help us work on ourselves instead of “fixing” our prodigals?