"Let a man examine himself…"
At the end of the year we are usually scrambling to get everything on
our to do lists out of the way and cleaned and tidied up for a fresh
start in the New Year. I also notice that at the end of the year there
is a mad dash to use up all of the health reserve money that has been
saved up tax-free throughout the year. I always thought that it must be
interesting for doctors who get this year-end set of appointments for
examinations, whether people need them or not. The end of the year is
when most of us do the self-examinations of ourselves. We reflect back
over the past year and evaluate how we did in life, work, spiritually,
financially, etc. and we then set our goals for the New Year, some being
called our "New Year's Resolutions". This self-examination is good.
Paul calls for us to do this continually in I Corinthians 11:28.
David
Wilkerson, the deceased author of The Cross and the Switchblade and former pastor of
the Times Square Church in New York City says, "Paul further urges us,
'Let a man examine himself…'. The Greek word for examine here means
'scrutinize, test.' The apostle is saying, 'Test yourself—see if you’re
walking according to God’s Word.' We’re to constantly ask ourselves, 'Am
I changing? Am I becoming more loving and tenderhearted? Am I treating
my family and friends with godly respect? Is my conversation becoming
more righteous?” These are great questions of self-examination as we
head into our new year of work life. As we set our goals for the person
we want to be at work and to be a person who works to their purpose, we
can be assured that our constant self-examination and adjustments and
corrections are the way that God wants us to live and pursue His
righteousness. So, set those goals this year with confidence and great
expectations that this New Year will be a year of positive change for
each of us.
Happy 2014! Purposed WorKING will be back on Monday January 6th, 2014!
Reference: I Corinthians 11:28 (New Living Translation)
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