"Boastable"?

      While preparing for my sermon this past week I couldn’t help but notice what the Apostle Paul had determined to be “boastable”. What were the things he refused to boast about… and what were the things he gladly boasted about? 2 Corinthians 11 details an incredible list of accomplishments, experiences, and challenges in his life. It is quite impressive to consider. But later in the letter he determines that only one thing in his life is worth boasting about: anything that gave opportunity for God’s glory to be magnified. He realizes that it is in his weaknesses that God’s strength is manifested. Conversely, he recognized that the unremarkable things… the unimpressive things… it is through these that God’s glory is lifted up.

      How very opposite of the world’s kind of thinking. This attitude of the Apostle has me evaluating a number of things in my life, including my use of social media – most notably Facebook. I’ve found that I have to be careful that Facebook doesn’t become “Bragbook”. I looked over my posts and could find a definite trace of times when I might have a hint – or a truckload – of trying to impress others. In subtle ways I see some of my posts communicating, “Look what I did!... Look how good I look in this picture!… See how clever I am!...  

      Is everything on Facebook this way? Of course not! But I find myself wanting to pay a little closer attention to my motivation when I post something. Facebook is just one subtle opportunity for me to become “boastable” about me or something that makes me “impressive”. I don’t get that from Paul. It seems like the only thing he wanted to be impressive in his life was Christ. He felt like he had missed the mark if anyone but Christ (including himself) was magnified.

Paul’s life and experience reminds me also about what I am impressed by in others. Too often it is worldly gain, human accomplishment/achievement, physical beauty, financial success, athletic skills, and on and on… that captures my imagination and interest. And herein is another reminder of how God is not like me. I am in great need of an adjustment of my vision and my understanding.

I pray – for myself and for you – that we might lift up all those things that God would find “boastable”, and that His glory might shine through them in our lives. May Jesus Christ be praised!

Philippians 3:4-8 (NIV) ⁴  though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: ⁵  circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; ⁶  as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. ⁷  But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸  What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.

 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (NIV) ²⁷  But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸  He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, ²⁹  so that no one may boast before him.

1 Corinthians 7:31 (NIV) ³¹  those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

Luke 21:33 (NIV) ³³  Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

PRAYER:  Father, teach me what it means for Christ to be glorified in my body, in my mind, and in what I communicate. Help me to see reality as You do… to know that the things of this world are as nothing to You. Enable my focus to be on that which magnifies Christ… especially those weaknesses in me through which Your strength can be manifested. I pray, in Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!

Scott