Let’s do a little test, as it were, on your personal relationship with Jesus Christ, how would you rate it, and since this is a personal test, you may as well be honest with yourself.
Would you say it is excellent, good, fair, or poor? Since the majority of people generally take the middle ground and are easily persuaded, I would presume that you said good to fair, and more than likely that answer was based on your current or most prevalent emotional state, or in the position on the path you have been on for some time.
Those that would say poor more than likely cannot see within themselves how the Lord has used them or allowed them to grow greater in His grace and knowledge, (2 Peter 3:18) in the past, or are simply bound to a negative insight towards themselves, which may or may not be true, or are indeed more profitable than they would admit to and have begun to attain to the truest form of humility.
Those who answered excellent may indeed be walking the path that has been set before them, in fact, they may be running a most excellent race, (1 Cor. 9:24) seeking nothing in this life but His glory, but I fear many of them may only be seeking vain glory, that pride may have found a place in their heart. Only God knows.
The fair to good folks are probably in the highest percentile of this little self-imposed questionnaire, because it is the safest ground, the least demanding on their time, and still gives them a sort of uplifting feeling. Human beings base the majority of their lives upon how they feel at a particular time, their emotional state is what controls them, and while our emotions are indeed a blessing from the Lord, who Himself also has the same emotions that we encounter, they should not be our masters. “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)
The form of Christianity that has been prevalent for the last one hundred years or so is one that is emotion based, to obey His commandments is to mean an emotional state of love, not the actual performing of an action performed simply because of love.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:3) This is not those who rated themselves in the poor category, these are those who strive each day to be profitable, perhaps by just an infinitesimal amount, but nonetheless more than they were yesterday, while those who answered poor here in our little survey would see themselves as emotionally incapable of serving properly. These are those who can grow in His grace and knowledge, but will not because of a lack of desire to, they are not meek or poor in Spirit, but simply have convinced themselves that where they are on the path is where they are going to stay, that any extra effort towards the Lord would only result in failure.
The fair to good ones, the majority in our little poll, are content with where they are, and for the most part long ago lost any desire to become a part of the fellowship of His suffering. (Phil 3:10) They like to read and hear the Psalms and about the heart that pants after God, (Psalm 42:1) but they will no more express their deepest desires, their most intimate feelings with the Lord than they would with their own spouse or closest friend. They have reached a level of Christianity, so to speak, that they are content with, and do not even see the rut that they have dug.
They will wait on the path, but no longer walk upon it, traveling in circles instead of moving forward in faith. Fear is their master, yet they will no more admit this than they would the lack of sincere intimacy that they profess to have. They are as a married couple who have decided that this is how our marriage is, and this is close enough to the dream I envisioned it to be.
There are those though that answered excellent to our opening statement in this letter to you, and they mean what they say. They are indeed poor in Spirit, they thirst and hinger for righteousness, they see no value in themselves unless they are profitable that day to the Kingdom of the Lord, and then only because He has been merciful to them and by the power and strength of His Holy Spirit blessed them with the ability to serve for His glory. They are dead in Christ, (Col. 3:3) and they are also the only ones who answered “poor” to this short poll that truly fit into the “excellent” category, for humility is not something they seek, but is like a mantle placed upon them by the Most High Himself.
They are truly servants of the Lord God Almighty, and their lives are indeed lived for Him. No matter where you placed yourself in those four categories, know this, there is more, there is always more of Jesus Christ to be had. “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:14)