2Cor. 10:12-15 - 12 For
we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that
commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing
themselves among themselves, are not wise. 13 But we
will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of
the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. 14 For
we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you:
for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ: 15 Not
boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's labours; but
having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you
according to our rule abundantly,
We
have all heard stories of those who believe they are in perfect health only to
discover, upon a visit to the doctor, that they are near death’s door. We
wonder how they could have gone from day to day not realizing that they were
sick. They came to that conclusion by comparing “themselves to themselves.”
When measuring themselves by the measure they come up short.
The same applies to those who are spiritually
ill. Compared to others our spiritual lives seem to be in great shape. A visit
to the Great Physician proves how near we are to eternal damnation. We need
Christ to diagnose our spiritual condition so that we do not hear the words: “… thou sayest, I am rich, and
increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art
wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” (Rev. 3:17)
