Boast about this.

Paul has briefly and brilliantly outlined spiritual warfare—pointing out that the ‘battle’ is not of this world, nor do we use weapons of the flesh to come against powers of darkness.  Paul established the powerful truth that we can,  AND MUST, take control of our thoughts.  From there, Paul once again drops into a defensive posture as a minister of the gospel. His discourse is in verses 7 through 16: http://mobile.biblegateway.com/passage/index.php?search=2%20Corinthians%2010.7-16&version=NIV

First-century Corinthians recognized and respected leaders with prestige and political power.  Not too different from today, is it?  Paul had neither.   Any position he had, he had long since given up when he became a follower of Christ.  Paul, the once-proud Jew with Roman citizenship, was now the poster child for humility.  I draw your attention to the key points in the latter part of chapter 10"Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.

For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved,

            but the one whom the Lord commends.”  2 Corinthians 10.17-18

 boast: pride and self-satisfaction about one's achievements, possessions, or abilities.

Think of someone you know who is given to boasting . . .(‘got a face in your mind?  Oh, come on… there must be someone.)   Have you ever thought about why he boasts? (That is, if he is not a teen-age boy, bursting with hormones and adrenaline?)   Believe it or not, I have thought about it, because I have a friend who can be rather boastful.  While it would seem to be pride that drives the boaster, so often it is the exact opposite—the boaster is trying to overcome deep-seated insecurities.  It seems to come from a need to prove himself—his worth, his value.  And then…today’s social media totally encourages boasting!  Have you noticed?  Between Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, folks log in with their feelings and goings-on, as though everyone should have a moment of silence for their brilliant thoughts or events.  When you push back and think about it, it is really so bizarre.  Like I should care whether someone, whoever they are, should FEEL like going to the gym or trying a dark beer….really, who cares?   And, how did we get to this place in our cultural goings on that we might think someone cares??

By contrast, Paul rested his self worth entirely with the Lord.  Paul confined his boasting to God---who he is, how great he is, and what he has done!  Any Christ-follower, who wishes to be strong in his faith, must never forget what God has done.  The psalms are full of David’s praises to God, and I love that.  Consider with me, from Psalm 8 ~

‘Oh, Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth… When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars,

which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him,  the son of man that you care for him?’ 

Friends, we are talking to and about the Creator of the Universe!  In him, we can boast . . . alone.

And besides that, it is God whose commendation we seek.  It is God whose commendation matters.

I know that it is the Lord’s voice I long to hear, which says, 'Well done, good and faithful servant.  Enter into the joy of your salvation!’

No boasting in self will matter on that day, now will it?