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Room for improvement
'I press on toward the goal ...' Philippians 3:14
Paul writes: '... I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But ... I press on toward the goal ...' (vs.13-14 NIV). Paul must be in the top few influential Christians of all time. And yet here he is admitting that there's room for improvement in his life. What about you?
You know when you get that annoying teacher's gem on your school report, 'Could try harder', well, in what ways could you try harder?
Rate yourself in this 'room for improvement checklist' (1 = always, 2 = sometimes, 3 = could try harder)
1) I'm patient
2) I'm self-controlled
3) I put others before myself
4) I'm a cheerful giver
5) I read my Bible
6) I pray by myself and with others
7) I'm happy with a lot or a little
8) I'm respectful
9) I choose forgiveness over hurt or revenge;
10) I follow God no matter what.
So how did you fare? This isn't an exercise in bigging yourself up or battering yourself down, it's an opportunity to be like Paul by recognising how far you've come and then setting yourself some goals to become more Christ-like. Why don't you keep a copy of this checklist in your Bible, and keep coming back to it every few months? You might be pleasantly surprised at the results as Jesus paints his masterpiece within you.
written by Bob Gass
'I press on toward the goal ...' Philippians 3:14
Paul writes: '... I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But ... I press on toward the goal ...' (vs.13-14 NIV). Paul must be in the top few influential Christians of all time. And yet here he is admitting that there's room for improvement in his life. What about you?
You know when you get that annoying teacher's gem on your school report, 'Could try harder', well, in what ways could you try harder?
Rate yourself in this 'room for improvement checklist' (1 = always, 2 = sometimes, 3 = could try harder)
1) I'm patient
2) I'm self-controlled
3) I put others before myself
4) I'm a cheerful giver
5) I read my Bible
6) I pray by myself and with others
7) I'm happy with a lot or a little
8) I'm respectful
9) I choose forgiveness over hurt or revenge;
10) I follow God no matter what.
So how did you fare? This isn't an exercise in bigging yourself up or battering yourself down, it's an opportunity to be like Paul by recognising how far you've come and then setting yourself some goals to become more Christ-like. Why don't you keep a copy of this checklist in your Bible, and keep coming back to it every few months? You might be pleasantly surprised at the results as Jesus paints his masterpiece within you.
written by Bob Gass