PASTOR EMMANUEL DANSU
The Christian race is an individual race as well as a corporate one. However, the corporate race is made better when each individual pays attention to how he runs. The way we run on a personal level dictates how we advance as a people. We draw strength individually in order to edify and help one another.
Pay close attention to yourself [concentrate on your personal development] and to your teaching; persevere in these things [hold to them], for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.
I TIMOTHY 4:16, AMP
Paying attention means to be careful, vigilant and take heed. We often get carried away with things around us. In our days when there are several social media platforms, we can easily go adrift in our walk with God if we do not take care. When we get encumbered with the things of this world, we get distracted and our focus is shifted from the things that really matter. We are charged to take heed to ourselves so as not to get distracted and lose our focus on the Lord.
We must understand that our personal development is of paramount importance in our walk with God and there is a limit to which others can help us in that regard. There is a need for us to go the extra mile in our personal works and daily activities so that we can make a steady progress in the things we do so as to make a difference in this world. Excellence is a product of making inquiry and paying utmost attention to details at a personal level. If we must save ourselves and those around us, it has to start with paying attention to our faith and ensuring that we are making steady progress.
1 Do not judge and criticize and condemn [others unfairly with an attitude of self-righteous superiority as though assuming the office of a judge], so that you will not be judged [unfairly]. 2 For just as you [hypocritically] judge others [when you are sinful and unrepentant], so will you be judged; and in accordance with your standard of measure [used to pass out judgment], judgment will be measured to you. 3 Why do you look at the [insignificant] speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice and acknowledge the [egregious] log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me get the speck out of your eye,’ when there is a log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite (play-actor, pretender), first get the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
MATTHEW 7:1-5, AMP
It is easy to get preoccupied with the ways other people live their lives. To be sure, we must not live our lives in isolation not bothering about others. However, we must make sure we don’t go about with a self-righteous disposition.
When we have to deal with other people’s matters, we need to acknowledge that nobody is immune from falling. We only stand because the grace of God has been made available to us. Judging and criticizing with the attitude of self righteous-superiority is condemnation rather than correction. We can only guide others when we continually appropriate the grace of God and we don’t get soiled by the same issues we address in the lives of others. Our major focus should be on Christ and not fellow brethren because there is every tendency that we can offend each other. What others do or not do should not influence how we behave in Church. Our lives will be a lot better if we can think on our actions before carrying them out.
12 So then, in everything treat others the same way you want them to treat you, for this is [the essence of] the Law and the [writings of the] Prophets.
MATTHEW 7:12, AMP
The world would be a better place if everyone can think of how certain actions will feel on them before taking out those very actions on others. Our sense of judgment will be a lot better if we can empathize with others even when we are in a position to judge them. Jesus himself was the one that gave this rule that has come to be known as the Golden Rule. It is the summation of the law and the prophets.
[biblegateway passage=”2 CORINTHIANS 13:5-9″ display=”2 CORINTHIANS 13:5-9″], MSG
Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it. I hope the test won’t show that we have failed. But if it comes to that, we’d rather the test showed our failure than yours. We’re rooting for the truth to win out in you. We couldn’t possibly do otherwise.
We need regular self examination to be sure that we are on course. We must never fail to judge ourselves to see if we still meet up with God’s standards. It is quite easy to take things for granted and gloss over the very vital issues of our lives. This will not help us at all. Regular self check will help us to know when we are missing the mark so that we can quickly realign.
26 Therefore I do not run without a definite goal; I do not flail around like one beating the air [just shadow boxing]. 27 But [like a boxer] I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached [the gospel] to others, I myself will not somehow be disqualified [as unfit for service].
1 CORINTHIANS 9:26-27, AMP
It can be quite easy to show others the way to go without going that way ourselves. This is a trap which must be avoided like a plague. Every message we preach, every advice we give must first address us before it is directed to others. That way, they will have more impact. God does not want us to save others at the expense of our own salvation.
12 Therefore let the one who thinks he stands firm [immune to temptation, being overconfident and self-righteous], take care that he does not fall [into sin and condemnation].
1 CORINTHIANS 10:12, AMP
Nobody is immune to temptation. Overconfidence and self righteousness will only serve to make our falling easy. As such, we must stay humble under the mighty hand of God so that we can be exalted by Him (I Peter 5:6). When we examine our actions towards others, it helps us to pay attention to ourselves. Regular self check will help us to know if we are missing the mark. It is wrong to save a man who is sinking when we are sinking too