Strangers to Ourselves

Yet another home run from MARK BATTERSON


II Corinthians 15:3 says, "Examine yourselves to make sure you are in the faith."

Most of us don't like examinations. It doesn't matter whether they are physical exams or school exams. Exams often reveal what we don't know (school exams) or don't want to know (physical exams). But the only alternative is ignorance. And the same is true spiritually.

I think we live in a culture that has largely lost the art of spiritual self-examination. Alot of people know more about their favorite celebrity than they do about themselves. We're strangers to ourselves. After all, it's so much easier watching reality TV and living vicariously through others. So how do we do practice the art of examination? Well, there are lots of ways to do it, but the most important is daily Scripture reading. James 1 likens the Bible to a mirror. It helps us see ourselves as we truly are. Hebrews 4:12 says it reveals the hidden thoughts and attitudes of the heart. It's like an x-ray of your soul. It helps us see what is inside. Now here's the reason self-examination via Scripture reading is so important: the more you read it the more potential you have to reflect it.