Be careful how you live

“The unexamined life is not worth living,” wrote the ancient secular philosopher.

That is true for believers as well.  The practice of self-examination is wise and profitable for every believer.  It is important to “try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord” (Eph. 5:10) so that we might cultivate discernment in the daily choices of our lives.  We are to “be careful how we walk” (Eph. 5:15), paying attention to the pathway, trajectory, and desires of our lives.

This reality leads us to ask, “Do you regularly examine what you are doing?”  That is, are you attentive to your activities and heart?  While it is appropriate to evaluate the lives of other believers for the sake of determining fitness to lead (e.g., 1 Tim. 3) or to correct those who are in sin or to help those who are weak (1 Thess. 5:14), we do well also to remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:3-5 — prior to examining the lives of others we must examine our own lives first (cf. also 1 Thess. 5:21-22).

This is no easy task.  If you are asking me to evaluate the lives of others, oh my eyes are perceptive!  I can see those specks that need removal!  But I am (and we all are) most deceived about the condition of my own heart — I can’t even see my own logs (or I choose to ignore even blatant sin).

We are most prone to delude ourselves about ourselves.  Examine yourself.  Look carefully.  Be discerning about your actions and your heart.  But understand that you may be most blind to your own heart and actions.

In a recent article, “You’re Fooling Yourself,” Paul Tripp echoes this same thought:

We’re all very good at making ourselves feel good about what God says is bad. We’re all very skilled at recasting what we’ve done so what was wrong doesn’t look so wrong to us. I’ll tell myself that I didn’t really lash out in anger; no, I was speaking as one of God’s prophets. I’ll tell myself that that second look wasn’t lust; I am simply a man who enjoys beauty. I’ll tell myself that I’m not craving power; I’m just exercising God-given leadership gifts.

Foolishness is able to do something dangerous. It’s able to look at wrong and see right. Had David been able to see himself with accuracy and if he’d been able to see his sin for what it really was, it’s hard to imagine that he would have continued to travel down that pathway.

Since we are so prone to be self-deluding, at least two things are called for:  1) as we read and study Scripture, we are wise if we begin by praying “Lord, open my eyes to see the truth of Your Word and myself in light of Your truth” and 2) we are wise when we ask someone else to help us see the true condition of our actions and desires (that’s often what counseling is about).  We can hasten honest responses if we offer something like, “If I promise to receive graciously anything you say, what do I need to hear about myself?”

So examine yourself.  And be wary of your propensity to delude yourself.  In doing so, you will be careful how you live.