It was Socrates that said, “an unexamined life is not worth living.”
It sounds so powerful. It’s quotable. It’s tweetable. It’s shareable.
He’s wrong.
The Bible teaches us that ‘every’ life is worth living, in every form, with every nuance. If we’re not careful, we will allow the pseudo-wisdom and philosophies of the world and culture in which we live cloud our convictions, eroding the powerful teachings of Jesus through His Word. We can easily find ourselves posting, quoting, and actually believing things that are clearly taught against in the Scriptures!
Yet, there is something to be said about the person who refuses to regularly examine their life in light of God’s will, ways, and Word. An ‘unexamined life’ is one not living up to its full potential in Jesus. Over and over again we are told to examine our lives in light of Jesus!
Psalms 26:2 (NKJV) Examine me, (NLT – Put me on trial) O LORD, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart.
Psalms 119:59 (NKJV) I thought about my ways, And turned my feet to Your testimonies.
Lam 3:40-41 (NKJV) Let us search out and examine our ways, And turn back to the LORD; Let us lift our hearts and hands To God in heaven.
1 Cor 11:31-32 (NKJV) For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
2 Cor 13:5-6 (NKJV) Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?–unless indeed you are disqualified. But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.
The word ‘examine’ means to ‘try, prove, and look into’. It’s always a good thing to check into your spiritual life on a regular basis to see where you are in the Lord.
Choose to do that today!
I’m blessed to have read your post. Indeed, examining our walk with God through Christ with the intent of submitting further to His will and ways is worth doing. And as the old hymn puts it, “Life is worth the living because He lives.”