Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”
There is some solid sentiment behind those words. He was professing that a life lacking introspection and self-reflection was basically being wasted. That quote asserts the importance of self-awareness while questioning one's beliefs, actions, and purpose in life.
While his words are noble, they fall short. Think about it: after this “honest examination” of myself – then what? If I make the effort of putting my own life under a microscope, what exactly am I looking for? Whose life do I then compare my own to? How do I know if it’s good or virtuous, and how do I even define what goodness and virtue are? Without a perfect standard, I’m just guessing based on my own personal preferences and biases. And those are shaped by my environment, culture, and the time in which I live.
The apostle Paul told followers of Christ to examine themselves… as to whether they were in the faith. He then goes on to say you have to put yourself to the test to make that determination. James further explains: this is done by looking into the perfect law of liberty, which is the doctrine of Christ. By carefully examining it and comparing my life to that, I’ll be in a good position to know where I stand.
But, why look there? Because as David said in Psalm 19: the law of the Lord… is perfect, restoring the soul. It is a standard that has no flaws or weaknesses. It is good and virtuous or as David said, it is true and righteous altogether.
So yes, give your life careful consideration, just make sure you’re comparing it to the right thing.
