Boasting

 

“Knowledge puffs up but love builds us. The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he aught to know. But the man who loves God is known by God.” 1 Corinthians 8:1b-3

I once read one of the original forms of “Beauty and the Beast” (There are a lot of versions so...). In it the Beast was not just deformed by the fairy but also had most of his smarts taken from him. I'm thinking this was written during the time that the French valued wit over all else. Beauty had to fall in love with him without his smarts and without his looks. There's a blow. I'll admit that this kinda made me frown at the time because I considered smarts such a big deal. I base a lot more of my value than I should on that. The point of that was we are not made up of our ability to say witty comments or talk someone into the ground. That can all go away. We are made up of our loves. That is where we are centered.

There is something that has been getting at me lately because I have seen it quite a bit. Now when I say that, I am admitting fully that sometimes I do this as well and God has to work on me... again.

Self Applauding. A more aggressive version is self-aggrandizing. I see it a lot in the church or wherever people are making a difference. That's the part I want to talk about.

A lot of times when people talk, whether it is about ministry or what is going on with their lives, they puff themselves up. They say something like “God has been using me so extensively. I think my work has been very useful. Just the other day someone told me how God was using me for something.” Notice how much that person mentions God, the work, or others. Now notice how much they mention the words “I” or “me”. When telling people what we are doing with our lives, what are we saying and why are we saying. Like with me. Why do I tell people I've been on a Missionary ship? I hope most of the time it's because it's the most life changing thing in my life. That God showed me so much. That it's a story worth telling. Sometimes it's because: look at me. I went on a missionary ship! Yay me. Not really a worthy thing to boast of when comparing. Gladys Alyward left home and risked her life to travel all the way to China because God told her. Bruce Olsen went down to Brazil as a Teenager and made it home. He had no 1^st world amenities. I had Starbucks on board (which that is an awesome thing let me tell you).

Who are we? What are we? People are healed. Others learn. We are training desciples.

That makes us great right?

Wrong!

We are small things who have the great pleasure of having front row seats to see God's work. Every so often God has us play the kazoo or djembe for effect. But boasting over that when there was this amazing violin solo onstage. It makes us look silly and small.

Good night my friends.