Friday, August 25, 2017

Boasting

Thursday, August 24, 2017
When people commend themselves, it doesn’t count for much.  The important thing is for the Lord to commend them.   2 Corinthians 10:18(NLT)
Paul had a public relations problem.  Wherever he went and established a new church there was a group who came after he left, trying to discredit the apostle’s emphasis on grace, and get the new believers to follow their rules.  Basically they relied on throwing the weight of their relationships with powerful people behind whatever they said.  In short – they bragged and boasted when simple statements weren’t enough.
There are times when you’ve got to just come out and admit failure; so, OK, I admit that I watch too much news with political commentary.  Hi, I’m Russell; I’m a CNN addict!  And, unfortunately for me, I only admit this when I get really sick and tired of watching the public haranguing of the politicians by the news people, and castigating of the news people by politicians.  It’s like a food fight on steroids!  You remember the old adage:  Never get in a mud-slinging contest with a pig; you both get dirty and the pig loves it!  The problem in our 21st century culture is that people in public life do not understand that, or care about it, and they jump in the mud fest with both feet; pigs on both sides!
There are those who are a little more subtle.  They rarely sling mud, but they brag and boast until the only reality they actually have is the hollow, inflated-balloon public image they’ve created of their incredible wonderfulness; the person has vanished and only pride remains.
A church I served many years ago was without a music director.  Of all things, I (who cannot even carry someone else’s tune) was leading the singing.  A group of a dozen visitors showed up one Sunday morning. 
After the service, Carl, a very distinguished looking member of that group invited me to visit him and his wife at their home the next evening.  I showed up, and was treated to two hours of Carl showcasing his musical talents, complete with solo and framed music course certificates.  The evening ended with Carl’s statement:  Preacher, me and those other families want to join your church…if you’ll make me the song leader.  I told him I thought he and those other folks would probably be happier in another church. 
Boasting is a form of manipulation.  When a person feels a need to wear all his medals on display for the purpose of getting others to think he is something he knows he really isn’t, the effect is two-fold:
1.     The listener believes it or not, depending on the listener’s baloney-detecting skills, and…
2.     Heaven groans – because God not only knows how many hairs you have on your head (or don’t have); there is also that thing about Him being an omniscient God, the One who knows everything:
People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”  1 Samuel 16:7b(NLT)

For You Today

If you’ve been tempted recently to build your resume’ with stuff about how great you are, remember that bit of history about an unsinkable ship named Titanic!
Boast if you will, but make your boast about God, not you.
You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road…have a blessed day!


[1] Title Image: Courtesy  Pixabay.com

1 comment:

  1. I had not heard that story, my friend. Praying for you and Queen Elizabeth.

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