“But let each one test his own work, and his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor.” (Gal. 6:4)

Paul is pointing out the danger of boasting that we are “not like others” rather than comparing ourselves with how we are living the Christian life. Sure, the spiritual brother can look at the one caught in a transgression and say, “I’d never do that, I’m too spiritual.”

Here’s the problem with having to look at our self instead of measuring ourselves against a poorer specimen of Christian behavior: When we have examined our self-adorned righteousness we will discover that we are nothing but sinners. We are what we are (saved by the blood) because of grace not because of our “good” behavior.

We cannot claim anything done by others by the way. Sometimes people say, “My church did so and so,” thus claiming the work for themselves. We cannot claim the minister’s visit to the hospital nor the deacon’s ministry to the sick or elderly. Nope. The next verse makes it plain that we answer for ourselves.

Task for Today: One, don’t compare yourself with others. You must live by grace. Two, don’t claim the good deeds of others, either singularly or collectively. Test your own work. How are you doing the works of the Spirit? Look again at the fruits. How are you, not someone else, doing with those?