The Measure part 1
There's a lot in this memory verse that I want to dive into. So let's get it out there and then we can examine it properly over the next few days. "For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith" (Romans 12:3). And, obviously, the part I want to get to is "the measure of faith" that has been dealt to every man. But I think there's so much more than that to touch on. Like I always say about not thinking more highly than we ought--I don't believe being humble means thinking less of yourself, I just believe it means thinking of yourself less. Thinking of others. The difference between being self-centered and Christ-centered is simply who, and what, you think about. Because being Christ-centered is being people-centered. "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others" (Philippians 2:4). And that doesn't mean you don't take care of business. It means be cognizant of what's going on around you. You are not the most important thing in the world. Love is. And love is giving. So don't bring someone else down to try to elevate yourself. That's selfish. That's not ok. Also, when you bring someone else up... the tide raises all ships. When you do for others you are, in a sense, helping yourself. Because we're all in this together. Think soberly. Understand that you DO matter... but so does everybody else. Don't puff yourself up. Edify and encourage others. Remember when Jesus spoke of His meat (His food, the thing that sustained Him) being Him doing the will of His Father? We are filled up when we give what we've got. When we give the LOVE that we've got. Because it comes out when we fill ourselves to overflowing with that which we've already been filled with. So don't worry about yourself so much. If you take care of me and I take care of you, neither one of us has to worry about ourselves. When we've got each other's backs, everybody is covered. So that's a few of the things I want to touch on here, but I don't want to run out of room before I get to my point. And my point is simply this: We all--every man (and woman)--have been given THE measure of faith. Faith is not a blind leap in the dark. Or the light. There's nothing blind about faith. Faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the Word (which is Jesus, which is love) of God. The Word that says, "I love you." Having faith in God is having faith in love. He gave us THE measure of faith by taking away the sin (unbelief) of the world. He gave us THE measure of faith by giving us something (someONE, Himself, LOVE) to believe in. The truth is what allows us to ignore, and disregard, the lie. I always hear people talking about needing more faith. Needing to pray harder. Or do more. Guys. Works and labor don't work. We have been GIVEN what we need. THE measure of faith. We don't believe in something we wish was true. We believe in love because we know it (HE) is true. Because He has shown us His love. Given it to us. Freely. And freely we have received, so freely we can give!