When we evaluate ourselves we need a measure. Something to compare us to. If you ask me how I did and don't give me something to compare it to it's not really an easy assessment to make. Often times we use the wrong measure. We use people as our measure instead of using the Standard. In our world and in our society, where everything is accepted and nothing is unacceptable, it's hard to have a good measure, because what's good for you might not be what's good for me. Unfortunately, this way of thinking is wrong. There are absolutes. 2+2=4 Even in common core, even if there way of coming to the right answer is different than the way you were taught. There are things that are right and there are things that are wrong.
So where's the standard? The Bible. The Bible is the only thing that has not changed. It's God's Word and as His Word it will remain forever. Heaven and earth will pass away, but His Word will remain forever. So because of this, we must use this as our measure of how we're really doing.
But there's still room for error. I'd like to call it the Christian Plateau. When we first get saved, everything is new and exciting. We can't wait to go to church, We can't wait to read our Bible or share our experience with every person we see. We're excited and on fire. We grow at an enormous rate. While we're out there, we hear things from seasoned Christians like, "Oh just wait, you'll calm down eventually." We think to ourselves, 'boy, I hope I don't become like them.'
Slowly our uphill climb changes from a mountain to a hill until finally we've arrived. How do we know we've arrived? Well just look around because everyone else is here too. The Spiritual elite are here with us. This is it! We breathe a sigh of relief and begin mingling with the other mature believers. Occasionally, we peer over the edge and see the new Christians charging up the hill and think, 'Oh, they'll calm down eventually.'
Look around, you are not on the summit you are on the plateau! You are in a dangerous place. The people you are surrounded by have fallen into a trap. A trap of complacency. A trap of becoming judgmental. A trap of arrogance and self-serving Christianity.
It's time to take inventory of where you are. But you must do it not by comparing yourself to the people that are around you but to the Word of God.
2 Peter 1:3-4
"His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires" (emphasis added).
A lot of us stop here. We participated in God's divine nature. We used to tell people regularly about Jesus and we still do occasionally - "when the Spirit moves us." We used to read and pray everyday before the busyness of life took over. But I mean, we still read the verse of the day and most of the time we remember to pray before we eat and of course we say a rote prayer as we close our eyes at night. But look at us... we have escaped the corruption of the world. We are not like them. They're evil. They're a lost cause. There's nothing we can do to help them because they don't want to listen to us.
Can you blame them? You're looking down on them from your Christian Plateau with your nose so high in the air everyone can see your boogers. This is not where we're meant to be. It's time to grow again.
2 Peter 1:5-8 Continues...
"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith, goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (emphasis added).
Take an honest evaluation of yourself. Is your knowledge of Jesus Christ effective and productive? Well, how can we tell? Are you completing the mission given to us by the Lord. "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature." This is our litmus test. How are we doing at fulfilling the great commission? It was not given for an elect few. But to all that believed He gave the power to become Sons of God. As a Son/Daughter of God it's your responsibility to be sharing that news with others. To be encouraging the brethren. To be adding to our faith in these areas. It's time to get off the plateau and begin increasing again.
If you can honestly say, "I'm not being productive right now. I'm not being effective." That's great allow God's conviction to allow you to begin growing again. Don't let people discourage you from what God is calling you to do! It's time to grow again.
