a Good Pride

Galatians 6:3-5 If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5 for each one should carry his own load. 
 
PAUL has just written of gently helping others. Then verse 3 rebukes those who hold themselves above others. Some may see themselves as above others, too intellectual or too spiritual to serve in the church. A united church is one in which each member connects to all others as brothers and sisters in Christ. Each person is in the church because God has joined them together. Obediently serving together unifies a church into a common bond of fellowship. Jesus directed his disciples to this unity: John 15:15-17 “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.”  Yes, love one another as Jesus-centered friends, so you will together bear fruit for Jesus.
    But then Paul seems to say the opposite when he writes: Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else. To test his own actions is to look at your own response to your spiritual gifts. Are you responding as the Lord directs? Do you find joy in your obedient response to God’s call on your life? That’s the meaning of pride here. This pride does not contrast your own life over others. In the Greek definition, this pride means you should be content and happy with yourself for obeying God. This is Jesus’ instruction in Luke 17:10 “So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’” One can be pleased he or she has served God as he has gifted them.
    This price is joy. It is a happiness of accomplishing something well for the Lord who loves you. Paul said it another way in Romans 12:3 For by the grace given me 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, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
          The Christian life is to be a joyful life. It will be so when you rejoice in your relationship with him as you carry your own load. Strive to fulfill God’s call on your life. Serve God with joy and serve one another in love as one body in one Lord.