"Sober Judgment"

"For by the grace...given to me I warn everyone among you not to estimate and think of himself more highly than he ought [not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance], but to rate his ability with sober judgment.... (Romans 12:3--Amplified Bible)

The last two mornings I have been involved in press conferences with newspaper, radio, and television media concerning an award which will be given posthumously this summer to my high school football coach.  I was honored to be chosen to speak on his behalf and to represent all the players who played for him from 1954 to 1962.  Coach Dave Hart had a great impact on my life and reinforced many principles which my parents and grandparents sowed into my life.  One great life principle which he instilled in me was the idea that the football team was not there for my personal fulfillment.  Plays were designed for a reason; as a running back, I was dependent on blockers, not some individual "talent."  I ran the ball, caught passes, blocked, tackled did everything I did so that the team could win, not to get my name in the papers.

The mentality of personal fulfillment is dominant in American culture. Greg Epstein, Humanist Chaplain, Harvard University, said in a recent interview, "Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life, that without supernaturalism affirms our ability and our responsibility to live ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspires to the greater good of humanity....It is good without God."  This is mankind's thinking, "more
highly than he ought."  The, "sober judgment," spoken of in our text is the thinking and living of total surrender to Jesus Christ and living the life He teaches in His Word.  It teaches that as Believers, "individually we are parts one of another [mutually dependent on one another]."  This is the winning attitude of life in general, pagan and Believer alike.  "If two of you agree"------------------------------

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You so much for people in my life who affirmed your life principles in me.  Amen.
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When an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2