Gal 6:4 Let each one examine~~ his own work. Then he can take pride in himself and not compare himself with someone else.
We all tend to think we are much better than we really are. We gradually become conceited, as evidenced by an increasing spirit of superiority and intolerance, leaving no room to consider the needs of others.
The solution is to “be continually examining yourself,” which means to “[test] in battle, [be] approved, or put to the test to see if it is genuine.”
What are we supposed to examine? The following are a few suggestions:
• What kind of person do you love to help? “If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that?” (Matt 5:46).
• What are your motives for donating to good causes? “When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—-blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get” (Matt 6:5).
• Would you fast if you could not tell anyone what you have given up? “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting” (Matt 6:16).
Everyone must answer to God for how he has lived: “But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value” (1 Cor 3:13). To do acceptable work, building contractors must do everything according to code. Likewise, if we do not know the rules for building our Christian lives, we can lose all our rewards.
By knowing what can nullify any recompense from Christ, a servant can “take pride in himself” (“boasting, or reporting”), but this is distinct from the “conceit” in Galatians 6:3. The focus is not on our own accomplishments but on what God has done through our lives. This pride exalts God, not us. We are told in 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.”
The final phrase, “not compare himself with someone else,” means that this pride comes not from comparison but from accomplishments, especially for the benefit to others. Feel good about serving others.
“Father, Your word is my guide, but it is so brutal to my pride. With all my heart, I want to please You with a life invested in Your kingdom. May my true value to You be my sense of worth in this life.”