Some people are individuals who know-it-all. They know everything, have a solution for everything, and claim to be able to do everything. I remember many years ago a young man attended our assembly and claimed he was an excellent mechanic and could fix everything. We let him work on our car but he failed and created more problems and we had to take the car to a certified mechanic to fix it. Then there is the other extreme where an individual does nothing worthwhile because they believe they can’t do anything; they let everyone else do the work because they believe they are incapable of doing anything right. The first extreme is of one who has an inflated ego and thinks too highly of themselves. The other extreme is of one who has very small self-worth or trust in God. While most of us are neither extreme, at times we may think too highly of ourselves and at other times do nothing when we really are able.
Why should we be proud because we have certain abilities? Don’t all abilities come from God? 1 Corinthians 4:7 “For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” Everything comes from God. God has given us our abilities. There is no room for boasting. The apostle Paul had apparently been taken up into heaven by God and saw and heard things he could not reveal. He was given a thorn in the flesh to keep him from being exalted. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” The apostle Paul learned to gain strength from Christ rather than to be proud of his own strengths and accomplishments.
We are also taught that we must use the abilities with which God has blessed us. Jesus gave the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-15 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.” The parable deals with three servants who had different abilities. They were given talents (money) based upon their ability. The first two servants took the money given them, applied their ability and gained additional money for their master. For this they were blessed. The last servant took the money given him and did not apply his ability to gain additional money for his master. The master called this servant “wicked and lazy”. He was cast into outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This parable is applicable to us today. We do not have the same abilities; we are different from each other. Some of us have many abilities and are good at many things; maybe we are five talent individuals. Others of us have fewer abilities. Maybe we are two talent or one talent individuals. But there are still things which we have the ability to do. If we do not apply the abilities God has given us for His glory, we too will be called wicked and lazy and cast into outer darkness.
Jesus gave the following parable to the Pharisees who thought too highly of themselves. Luke 18:9-14 “Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men — extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.’” While there are many things that we may do right, we must not exalt ourselves or we will be humbled. Humble yourself and you will be exalted. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5).
Solomon gave the following proverb. Proverbs 26:12 “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” The apostle Paul gave the following assessment. Galatians 6:3 “For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” You need to make a proper self-evaluation. Romans 12:3 “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”
Sometimes we think we don’t have the required ability, but we can succeed with God’s power. The apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” How do we know when we should admit that we are not the right one for the task? How do we know when God wants us to act and He will supply the ability, strength, and wisdom? My advice is to ask God to show you the right decision to make.
I encourage you to be sober in your evaluation of yourself. Do not think too highly of yourself nor think too lowly of yourself. Realize the abilities and capabilities that God has given to you. Use your abilities and capabilities for His glory.