For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

Romans 12:3

Every time I read through the twelfth chapter of Romans, the verse above causes me to take a little time for some personal reflection. Thinking critically about myself and taking an honest look at my personal strengths and weaknesses runs contrary to how I want to think of myself, yet that is exactly what Paul commands in the verse above.

Instead of thinking too highly of ourselves, Paul wants us to use “sober judgment” or to “be honest in your evaluation of yourselves.”

That evaluation can go in both directions. Yes, many of us have a higher opinion of ourselves, but I can think of at least one instance found in the Bible of a man who actually thought too little of himself.

While standing before the burning bush and listening to God’s command to free the people of Israel from slavery, Moses responded this way –

But Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.”

Exodus 4:10

And God responded –

Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.”

Exodus 4:11

At the end of the passage above from Romans, Paul tells us to judge ourselves “according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.”

So, how would you evaluate your own strengths and weaknesses? Do you overestimate your worth or is it possible that you have followed the path of Moses?