For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought. But rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.
Romans 12:3

For if anyone thinks he is something [special] when [in fact] he is nothing [special except in his own eyes], he deceives himself. But each one must carefully scrutinize his own work [examining his actions, attitudes, and behavior], and then he can have the personal satisfaction and inner joy of doing something commendable without comparing himself to another.
Galatians 6:3-4 (AMP)

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No one should be against healthy self-esteem. God isn’t, so why should I be? I was taught as a child that I’m loved, valued, and welcomed just as I am. I struggled to believe this then and still do today. But that doesn’t make it untrue. I’m sure you can relate. It’s essential to remember that healthy self-esteem is an inner agreement with my Creator that who I am matters to Him, and that no matter what happens or who I encounter, I belong in the world around me. So why does an unhealthy relationship with pride become so intoxicating so often?

I can’t state this more plainly: We can’t engage with God and others soberly when we’re intoxicated by conceit and comparison.

Make no mistake, God-honoring confidence about myself has nothing to do with the people around me. Not their stature. Not their status. Not their accomplishments. Not their approval. If you hadn’t heard that recently, there you go. But while we deeply want to believe this, discontentment in our hearts is disorienting. Fortunately, Romans 12:3 is simple and straightforward: “Don’t think of yourself more highly than you ought… think of yourself with sober judgment [instead].” We all know that getting high on our self-worth feels good. And sadly, giving up our self-worth can feel like withdrawal, depression, and despair. To keep from getting drunk on pride, Galatians 3:3-4 calls us to weigh our God-given identity, actions, attitudes, and behaviors against His standards, not our own or someone else’s. It’s not easy, but it’s always worth it when we’re seeking Christlike contentment.

I don’t know if you’ve been intoxicated by pride lately. I have. I’m not proud of it, nor proud to admit it. But I’m certain that letting God know I’m aware and apologizing is part of the antidote. And I am aware that part of the Holy Spirit’s ongoing work in me is to right-size my pride, and to live and love in the world in alignment with who God made me to be. I regularly need Jesus’ example to recalibrate my self-esteem and my perspective as I relate to, work, and serve alongside other people. Today, I’m inviting you to join me in sobering up—let’s seek true contentment instead of getting high on conceit or comparison.

Next Steps

What word or phrase from Romans 12:3 and Galatians 6:3-4 speaks most powerfully to you today? Write it on a notecard or sticky note. Then, place it somewhere this week to remind you that you’re pursuing God-honoring contentment over conceit or comparison.