Have you ever thought poorly of yourself or others? How we see ourselves and others significantly affect our ability to serve God and others. Now you may say “Ben, serving God isn’t dependent on us, but on God.” I totally agree with that, when we rely on truth and the Holy Spirit to reveal that truth, it is God doing the work in and through us. So let’s look at how a wrong mindset about ourselves can hinder the work of God in our life.

Romans 12:3 says this “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” So should I think of myself as a worthless worm? We are to think soberly according to the measure of faith God has given us. That means thoughts about ourselves must line up with the truth of God’s Word. Deception causes us to think of ourselves as worthless, as a screw-up, an idiot, etc.

God has a unique perspective concerning us. Psalm 139:14 says ” I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works…” If we accept any thought that is contrary to this, we are calling God a liar and His works garbage. When we get a proper perspective and believe what God says about us, we stop thinking about ourselves and can move forward boldly in the plan God has for our life. Having right perspective isn’t about feeling good about ourselves, it sets us free from deception so we can serve God without our own mindsets hindering the work of the Holy Spirit in our life.

Same applies to other people. If I look down on other people because of the way they act, talk, or look, I judge the Word of God false. “Well Ben, I don’t look down on people, I love people.” If someone cut you off in traffic and you yelled something at them like “you idiot!” or worse, you have judged that person according to their actions and not the Word. Yeah, people do and say crazy things sometimes, but if we look at that and then snicker or sneer how can we give them the truth of God’s Word if we don’t believe it ourselves?

Even if I try to reach out to someone who I look down on, I can recite Biblical truth to them, but it is not done in love. Rather it is done with a condescending attitude, and there is no Grace (Power) in what you say. “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal” (1st Corinthians 13:1). So next time you’re tempted to speak or think poorly of others or yourself, ask the Holy Spirit to give you correct perspective. That is how we allow God to do the work and not ourselves.

Practice Truth:

• Renew your mind in the Word when it comes to yourself and others.
• Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to you, and to lead and guide you away from lies about yourself and others