Gladys Wilborn © March 25, 2021. All rights reserved.
I was recently moved by a post a sister-in-Christ sent out to our text group. It gave a different perspective on the opening verse of the Book of Esther regarding Queen Vashti. In short, this queen’s husband summoned her to be put on display with the rest of his kingdom as a source of pride in all that he possessed. For this king, his queen was a beautiful possession he wanted to show off to his princes.
This sister then referenced a similar scenario found in Job 1, wherein God offers up Job as someone in his kingdom worth showing off to his wayward son, Satan. In verse 10, God says, “…Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man…”
The question posed by my sister-in-Christ was this: Are you a showoff? Does God see something in you that he wants to show off to others?
It was time for a session of spiritual self-examination.
The first thing that came to mind were questions. For example, when you go to the doctor’s office they hand you a list for you to check off personal information about yourself, i.e., your name, birthday, ailments, medicines you take, etc. The purpose is to give them an overall view of your physical health status.
The questions that came to mind were similar in that they were meant to give an idea of my spiritual state of being. To examine myself, I wrote down questions and then went to the Bible for answers.
- Am I being loyal to God?
Psalm 119:59 – “I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.”
- How is my attitude?
Psalm 119:60 – “I made haste and delayed not to keep thy commandments.”
- Am I seeking God in the word?
Matthew 6:33 – “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
- Is God my trust?
Proverbs 3:5 – “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”
- Am I praying?
1 Thessalonians 5:17 – “Pray without ceasing.”
- Am I being stirred by his word?
2 Timothy 1:6 – “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.”
- Am I quenching the Holy Spirit?
1 Thessalonians 5:19 – “Quench not the Spirit.”
I wanted to take this test to see my spiritual state and to be reminded that what God saw in me was the workmanship of His Son. God saw me saved by faith in Jesus Christ, redeemed, transformed, sanctified, made righteous, holy, and Spirit-filled.
God saw me as part of a local church, growing in my new life to be Christ-like, using my spiritual gift/talents, serving in the body, giving financially and unselfishly of my time and energy, sharing the faith, walking in the Spirit, clothed in the armour of God.
In my self-examination, I was able to see what God saw in me – someone who was daily being made perfect in Jesus Christ.
