Edition 49 of my Pride study

Thursday, October 20th

Edition 49 of my Pride study

Galatians 6:1-10
1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5 for each one should carry his own load.

6 Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.

7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Test (noun):

1. A procedure for critical evaluation; a means of determining the presence, quality, or truth of something; a trial.


2. A series of questions, problems, or physical responses designed to determine knowledge, intelligence, or ability.


3. A basis for evaluation or judgment.

Reap (verb):

1. To cut for harvest with a scythe, sickle, or reaper.


2. To harvest.


3. To obtain as a result of effort.


4. Get or derive.


5. To obtain a return or reward.

Sow (verb):

1. To scatter (seed) over the ground for growing.


2. To impregnate (a growing medium) with seed.


3. To propagate; disseminate.

I must say, this is a great scripture. It has so much for me to learn from. Just great stuff. For me to be able to take pride in myself, God tells me that I should test myself first. I have to give myself a trial to get a basis of truth. I have been praying for my wife’s co-worker day in and day out. And with all the pain I am in, I can give in to excuses on all sorts of levels. One thought I have had is that I can use the time to pray for myself. Why pray for others when I am in a ton of pain? I am busy, I have no time to pray. Blah, blah, blah… the excuses just go on. I think excuses are the reason I don’t do as much as I could or should, and that gives good reason to why I should test myself more often. And in retrospect, the whole reason for this pride study is because I wanted to test myself. I have learned more than the amount of pain I am in (and that’s a ton, by the way – kind of throwing some humor in here). So, once I have tested myself, then I can take pride in myself but not to the point of comparison to someone else.

So my next thought is about verse 7. What seeds to I have in my arsenal? What am I planting? Because, whatever I sow, I will reap. Does my life stink? Am I unhappy with the way something is going? I have to look at it like this by asking the tough questions. Why am I in pain? My back hurts. My chest hurts. My leg hurts. What have I sown to get to this point? I pushed a car when I was a freshman in college. By myself, I might add, and hurt my back. I am reaping the fruits of what I sowed. The pain in my chest is from medicine for my back. I am reaping what I sowed. I am not sure why my leg is doing what it is, but that could also be related to my back, as well.

Verse 10 caught my eye…  the part about doing good to all people.

Good (noun):

1. Moral excellence or admirableness.


2. Benefit.


3. That which is valuable or useful.

“Let us do good to all people.” Let Johnny do that which is valuable or useful to all people. Let Johnny do something of moral excellence to all people. How challenging is that? I am humbled.