Daily Devotional | Looking at Ourselves

Pride is a dangerous and destructive sin. It can skew our view of the world and our place in it. Left unchecked, it can cause an inflated ego, a lack of empathy, the belittling of others, an extreme sensitivity to critique, and ultimately broken relationships.

In Romans 12, Paul continues his down-to-earth instruction on how to live out our calling. He first reminds the Roman Christians of God’s grace to him (v. 3). His apostolic position and authority were from God, not earned or deserved (Eph. 3:7–8). As he calls them to a “renewed mind” (from Rom.12:1–2), he points to how believers ought to live in community.

A grace-filled community happens when we each remain humble. “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” (v. 3). With God’s help and by His grace, we can objectively and realistically understand who He has created us to be. We are freed from pride and self- loathing, self-centeredness and self- consciousness. “In accordance with the faith,” we see ourselves through God’s eyes (v. 3).

When we take this hard look at ourselves, we are freed to serve others with the gifts God has given. In verses 4–8, Paul uses the image of the body to describe the unity and diversity that work together for the good of all. Each of us has a unique function and a particular gifting, yet we form one “body”—and “each member belongs to all the others” (v. 5). Together, we have a collective trust, connection, and commitment to one another.

Loving God with our mind means maintaining a biblical, humble, and sober view of ourselves. Loving our neighbor also means sharing what God has given us for the good of the body.