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ROKU AppWhat Is More Important: What I Do or What I Am?
Written by Judy Swanson
My self-examination must go deeper than my actions, into my inner character.
My husband considers me a person who is always doing—always on the go, always trying to accomplish something. Sometimes I feel like I am always busy, but never accomplishing anything!
Examining myself
The apostle Paul tells us to examine ourselves before taking the bread and wine of the New Testament Passover (1 Corinthians 11:28). As the Passover season approaches, I have had to take a look at my life and what I do or am doing. I have had to ask myself, “Am I more interested in what I am doing? Or am I interested in what I am?” Then I had to ask myself, “Am I what I want to be? Am I what God wants me to be?”
What does God want me to be? Peter defines the character that God wants me to have: diligence, faith, virtue (character), knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love (2 Peter 1:5-7).
I also ask myself about my relationships. For example, I ask myself, “Do I argue and debate with my husband, or do I discuss ideas or subjects with a gentle and quiet spirit?”
Beautiful to God
In 1 Peter 3:5, Peter shows us what God says is “beautiful” in His sight: “After all, this is how holy women who set their hope on God used to make themselves beautiful in the past. They submitted themselves to their husbands” (International Standard Version).
So I need to ask myself this question before the Passover: “How beautiful am I to God? How well am I doing in this arena?”
On the inside
I may be “doing” a lot and I may be pretty proud of my accomplishments, but does it really count with God? What am I on the inside? Am I becoming more like Jesus Christ? Am I submitting to His will? Am I asking Him to lead me in the direction He wants me to go? Am I so busy doing that I’m not listening to His words?
This is what I am striving to think about before the Passover.
Judy Swanson and her husband, Bill, will be celebrating their 50th anniversary in June. They reside in East Bernstadt, Kentucky, and help serve the Church of God, a Worldwide Association, congregations in London, Kentucky, and Knoxville and Johnson City, Tennessee.
For more about the New Testament Passover, self-examination and marriage, see these related posts:
