June 13, 2015

“But whatever any one dares to boast of — I am speaking as a fool — I also dare to boast of that. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one — I am talking like a madman — with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I have received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I have been beaten with rods; once I was stoned. Three times I have been shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been adrift at sea…And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure upon me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak…? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” 2 Corinthians 11:21b – 30

“Man is naturally exceeding prone to be exalting himself and depending on his own power or goodness, as though he were he from whom he must expect happiness, and to have respect to enjoyments alien from G*d and his Spirit, as those in which happiness is to be found. Hath any man much comfort and strong hope of eternal life, let not his hope lift him up, but dispose him the more to abase himself, and reflect on his own exceeding unworthiness of such a favor, and to exalt G*d alone.” Jonathan Edwards (1703 – 1758) The Works of President Edwards, vol. 4 “For All The Saints” volume II (p. 152)

Have you ever known someone who seemed to always have the need to boast about themself? Do you have a co-worker who feels the need to tell you about what great thing they had accomplished that day, or what accolades they received that week? We are, by nature and our sinful ways, prone to only talking about ourselves and even boasting about our accomplishments. Paul makes it clear that he had the most to boast about, but he would boast about his weaknesses.

We all have the need to be recognized in some way, but this is not why we live the Christ-like life. We live the Christ-like life because this is what we are called to do — not so that others see it — but because it aligns us with Christ. What more could we want to boast of than the secure knowledge of Christ dwelling in our hearts. If we live the Christ-like life we need not boast — because others will know it by our actions.

Pastor Dave