Know your God, and know yourself.

"The unexamined life is not worth living." Socrates

When reading this quote by Socrates the first thought that comes to mind is the scripture from Psalm 26:2 where David states, "Examine me, O LORD, and try me; Test my mind and my heart." The fact that David is asking God, the creator of the universe to examine his life makes it evident to me that as Christian's we need to also. I believe Socrates statement is saying, that, without examination of our lives we leave no room for growth, but instead we stay stagnant, giving up on what has been given to us, which is the gift of life.

This statement personally rings true to me because without examination of my own life I may have never come to know God and the saving power of Jesus Christ. Socrates was challenging his students to not accept the beliefs and traditions of that time without examining them first. Examination of oneself is the key to helping make the world a better place. Change, happiness, wholeness, creativity, life, liberty, justice, salvation, and freedom all begin with the individual. Without examination in a person’s life they could go on hurting themselves or others around them.

A person who lives an examined life is someone who looks at the past and learns from it in order to make the future a better place. They are able to grow spiritually and mentally, which can lead to an even greater effect on the lives of other people. Examining ones life can be for selfish gain, but as a Christian, examination is a way to allow God to change our hearts and minds in order that we may grow more in Christ and effectively minister Him to the world.