How do you see yourself? A mature man has come to the humble knowledge that he is nothing without Christ and everything with Christ. He is a mere branch on a glorious Vine, but he has been fearfully, wonderfully, and uniquely made by the Creator, designed for great achievements by God’s grace.

All of us are dramatically shaped by how we view ourselves. Some have too low a perspective; some too high. To be imbalanced here is harmful in either direction.

The Apostle Paul summed up his self-awareness in one important sentence as he wrote to the Corinthians.

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
(1 Corinthians 15:10).

The Work of Grace

A proud man believes that he has made himself. He loudly boasts of his accomplishments so all may know what he has done. Paul, as one of the greatest followers of Christ in history (he wrote 2/3 of the New Testament), did not view his life that way. He realized everything that had been accomplished in his life happened by God’s grace.

Grace is unmerited favor. It is God giving you what you do not deserve. He wrote earlier in this book a similar thought that framed his self-awareness.

If everything you have is something you’ve received, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?
(1 Corinthians 4:7)

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