Making a True Assessment

One of the things I find attractive about the apostles, Peter and Paul, is that they were so human.They made mistakes. Peter was an impetuous man who frequently said and did the wrong thing, but then he tried again, struggled to get it right. Paul sometimes talks about his weaknesses and sometimes reveals them almost unconsciously. For instance, in the second letter to the Corinthians, he says,'God forbid that I should boast, but...', and then goes ahead and has a good boast.'No-one can claim to be a better Jew than me,' he says, 'no-one can claim they have suffered more for the faith than me.' 'I know this is all foolish talk,' he says, but nevertheless he cannot help justifying himself with a few boasts. It is very human, it's something that we have all done at one time or another.'No-one can say I haven't tried...','No-one can say I haven't done all I can...', and so on.

However, Paul was very keen that people should make a true assessment of themselves. Writing to the Romans, he says in chapter 12,'I bid everyone not to think of yourself more highly than you ought, but to think soberly (that is, fairly honestly) according to the gifts that God has given you.' So while Paul was saying 'don't think too highly of yourselves,' he was also saying,'and don't think too lowly of yourselves either He goes on to say that just because we are different, or have various functions, different things to do in the world, doesn't mean that one gift is better or less valuable than another. Just as an arm has a different function from a leg, it doesn't make it of more or less value than the other limb.

Paul made a list of all the different gifts that people have, saying that none of us can boast because all our gifts have been given to us by God. Our job is to make a true and honest assessment of ourselves, and offer to God whatever we have and whatever we are.

In my experience, while I have met quite a few boasters, I think a great number of people suffer from the opposite tendency: they have too low an opinion of themselves. Being too modest, too self-deprecating, is really a handicap that prevents us from enjoying life to the full, or prevents us from living fulfilled and satisfying lives. So often we think of 'the gifted' as those who are capable of outstanding things such as being a brain surgeon or a concert pianist while, in fact, there are other less dramatic gifts without which we should all be the poorer - like a gift for friendship, or patience, or conversation.

So I would like us to pray for tlpe wisdom to be able to assess our gifts and talents honestly, and to find ways in which we can enjoy using them for the good of others, for our own pleasure, and to the glory of God.

God of wisdom and justice, help us to assess ourselves in the light of your love. Help us to rejoice in the gifts of others, and help us all to use our gifts, that together we may do your will. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Amen.

(From 'All the Days of my Life'by Frank Topping)