 Sometimes we feel inadequate. Comparing ourselves to our neighbors can leave us feeling poor, unintelligent, fat, weak, old, or incapable. God has never called these things bad, but we do, and we work hard to cover them up. Behold the gigantic cosmetic industry.
We hide, puff ourselves up to make ourselves feel big, and put others down. Instead of accepting our mistakes, we blame others and God. Look at Adam and Eve. Initially, they were happy in the Garden of Eden, open to and accepted by God, each other, and themselves. Then they ignored what God told them and became their own judges. They were afraid and they hid (Genesis 3:8, 10). They also blamed others. Adam blamed Eve and God for putting Eve there (Genesis 3:12). Eve blamed the serpent and indirectly God for putting the serpent there (Genesis 3:13). Totally distracted, they missed their main mistake, which was disobeying God. How to get out? Assess ourselves soberly and accurately (Romans 12:3). Then, we will see we are broken. We have rebelled against God (Romans 3:23). But through Christ, God has accepted us as His children (Ephesians 1:5,7-8), destined to be holy and blameless (Ephesians 1:4). Nothing could separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39). Not just loving us, God delights in us (Zephaniah3:17). With the almighty loving us so much, we shouldn’t be afraid and insecure (Romans8:31-32). Further, in Christ, we belong to a body (Romans12:4-5). As different parts of the body, we have our different strengths and weaknesses, serving different functions (Romans12:6-8). Our strengths are God’s gifts. There is no room for pride. Discover our strengths and use them diligently and effectively. Our weaknesses help us be more interdependent and humble. There is no room to feel inferior. Carefully identify our strengths and our weaknesses to find our role. In conclusion, know that we are broken. But through Christ, we are accepted as God’s beloved children. So, be strong and courageous. Identify our strengths and weaknesses to work as a team to love God and others. Summarized from Section Three of Chip Ingram’s book, True Spirituality: Becoming a Romans 12 Christian. 为什么我们没有安全感？ 我们有时候与邻居相比见拙, 会觉得贫穷, 愚蠢, 肥胖, 虚弱, 苍老, 无力。上帝没有称这些事为不好的. 但我们会，还会试图掩盖它们的存在。看看庞大的化妆品行业。 隐藏真实的自己，自吹自擂，让自己感觉优越，贬低他人。不接受自己的错误，却责怪他人和上帝。 来看亚当和夏娃的故事。 他们最初在伊甸园中愉快地生活着，在上帝面前赤露敞开，坦然面对上帝，接受对方和自己. 后来他们却忽略了神曾吩咐过的事，成了自己的裁判。两人因为害怕而隐藏起来（创世纪3：8,10）。他们开始指责别人。亚当责备夏娃，也责怪上帝把夏娃放在伊甸园里（创世纪3：12）。夏娃则归咎于蛇，也就间接地怪神把蛇放在那里（创世纪3：13）。 这两人完全偏离了重点，忽视了最重要的错误，就是违背上帝的吩咐。 应该怎样脱离困境呢？ 清醒而准确地评估自己（罗马书12：3），看到自我的破碎, 犯罪背叛了上帝（罗马书3：23）。 但是上帝通过基督，接纳我们作祂的儿女(以弗所书1：5,7-8),成为圣洁无瑕（以弗所书1：4）。没有任何事物可将我们与祂的爱分离（罗马书8：38-39）。上帝不仅爱我们，也喜欢我们（西番雅书3：17）。全能上帝神爱我们如此，我们为何还感觉害怕和不安（罗马书8：31-32）? 不仅如此，我们在基督里属于一体（罗马书12：4-5）。作为身体的不同部位，每人各有不同的优点和缺点，互相取长补短，行使不同的功用（罗马书12：6-8）。 优点是上帝的恩赐，没有自高自大的空间。应当发掘优点，勤勉而有效地利用它们。 弱点可帮助人更加懂得相互依赖和谦卑以待，没有自卑自怜的余地。 认真仔细地找出优点和弱点，从而找到相应的角色。 总而言之，当知道我们的破碎, 但通过基督被上帝接纳，成为上帝蒙爱的儿女，所以要勇敢坚强。找到我们的优点和缺点，取长补短，团结一致，一心一意地爱上帝，也爱他人,为他们服务。
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