Good Boasting

Surely that is an oxymoron. Surely boasting is wrong, so there can be no such thing as “good boasting.” Or can there?

When a teacher tells someone about the good work a pupil has done, knowing that the pupil will overhear and knowing that this pupil needs a bit of encouragement, is that not good? When the apostle Paul, the chief of sinners (1 Tim 1:15), boasted about how the cross of Christ had saved him from his sin (Gal 6:14), is that not good boasting? When Peter and John told the people that they had no power to raise the lame and make them walk, but Jesus could do it (Acts 3), is that not good boasting?

We normally associate boasting with one who talks about himself. But in the three examples above, someone is speaking highly not of self but of another. In two of the three examples, that other is Jesus. That can often be a good form of boasting.

To become a good boaster, we must be willing to admit negative things about ourselves. To boast about the cross, we must admit that Christ’s horrible death was necessary because of our sin. Even for the teacher to effectively boast about the student, there should be an admission that the student is going beyond what the teacher thought could be made of the lesson as the teacher gave it.

Herein lies our problem. We want the credit. But it is impossible to do good boasting while sneaking in a little boasting about ourselves. “I am such a brilliant teacher that even little Johnny understands algebra now” is not going to do Johnny a bit of good. It is an insult rather than a help. “The Lord saved me because he saw that I was really a good person at heart” is boasting for sure, but not of the good kind. The focus becomes self. The star of the show is the speaker, not the Lord.

Let’s try to do more good boasting, on others and on the Lord. We will fail at it. We will catch ourselves sneaking in a little self-promotion along the way. But let’s try.

“But let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth” (Jeremiah 9:24, ESV).

“Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord” (2 Corinthians 10:17, ESV).

God Guides

In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good (Ecclesiastes 11:6, ESV).

I have often heard people complain that the Lord did not seem to be guiding them. Perhaps I have complained that way myself. Sometimes we claim to be seeking God’s will, but he does not make his will clear to us. There could be many reasons for that. In an article of reasonable length, it will not be possible to cover more than one of the possible reasons.

Could it be that we are not being led because we are not going anywhere?

When Abraham sent his servant to find a bride for Isaac, the Lord led him to just the right place (Gen 24:26-27). The Bible does not tell us how the Lord did that, but it does tell us what was happening when the Lord led the man. The servant was travelling. He was moving. He was doing something.

The Lord did not draw a detailed map of how to get to Rebecca’s house and send it to the servant before he ever left home. The man knew the general direction that he needed to travel, and he travelled that direction. As he travelled, the Lord led him.

All too often we sit at home waiting for guidance. That is foolish, and perhaps lazy as well. We know the general direction of God’s will. Let us travel in that direction. If we will do so, more specific guidance will be given as it is needed. But it will normally come to those who are moving, not to those who are sitting still doing nothing.

There are times when God’s people are called upon to “be still.” There are times when we are to sit still and let God take the needed action. But, when we claim to be seeking guidance, it is imperative that we do something. It is impossible to lead a person who insists on sitting still.

So, if you want God’s guidance, get busy. Head in a general direction that you know to be in accordance with his will. As you do so, he will guide more specifically when that is needed.

The Stroop Effect

The Stroop effect is a fundamental principle of psychology. Dr. John R. Stroop first described the negative effects of multi-tasking in the 1930s. The basic tests that Stroop developed to study the problem continued to be used almost 90 years later. I would go into an explanation of the Stroop effect, but you can look that up on your own if you happen to be in psychological studies.

Those of you not interested in psychology may wonder why I bring up the Stroop effect, only to drop the subject without even explaining what it is. Fair enough, here is my reason. John R. Stroop did the research for his Ph.D. carefully. His name has been and will be remembered because he did his work well.
That is my real subject, doing our tasks well.

Dr. Stroop enjoyed studying and teaching psychology, but he was first and foremost a worshipper of God. If you seek his name in our church library, you will find that he authored at least four books on biblical subjects. His biblical studies are, like his writings on psychology, somewhat dated. Writing styles have changed. As a result, some of what he wrote might seem a bit dry to many twenty-first century readers.

But what impresses me about the man is that he did his work well. John R. Stroop (or J. Ridley Stroop as he was generally known in the church) was a hard worker and a clear thinker. He was not in the habit of just repeating what others said (about the Bible or about psychology); nor was he one of those fools who just wanted to say something new to be saying something new (regardless of its truthfulness or practical value).

We live in a day of overspecialization. Too many people have studied almost everything about almost nothing. Within their area of specialization, they may be okay but their other work is poorly done. We live in a day of shoddy workmanship and throwaway products. The Bible tells us “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Col 3:23-24). J. Ridley Stroop understood that; and he lived that way. I admire him for that.

Missing Out

It seems that there are at least three books bearing the title The Joy of Missing Out. One is subtitled Live More by Doing Less; another Finding Balance in a Wired World; yet another is subtitled The Art of Self-Restraint in an age of Excess. I wish that I had time to read all three, but I guess attempting to do so would contradict the thesis of the books.

I am glad to hear that some folks are waking up to the danger of doing too much. None of us can do everything. Few of us will learn to excel at more than a few tasks. Keeping life simple would likely be better for all of us. But the key question remains, “What should be eliminated?”

Several years ago, I studied with a young man who was not sure that he believed in God. He was unusual in that he kept an open mind and was willing to give the Bible a chance. He read it, and as he read the Bible the Bible also read him. He found that the Bible spoke clearly to his inner thoughts, fears, and failures. A short time later something happened that convinced him absolutely that there is indeed a God.

But this young man never comes for Bible study anymore. He never attends worship. He explained to me that there is not time for everything in life. He and his wife decided that they wanted to devote their Sundays to playing with the children. In answer to the question “What should be eliminated?” He chose to eliminate the worship of God.

We cannot give our kids everything. We cannot enjoy everything ourselves. We must make choices. It is good to have a hobby. It is not good to have twelve.

There are a few things that should not be eliminated. Meals, for both the body and soul, are served every day at our house; and it is going to stay that way. I may miss out on a lot of things in life, in fact I intend to do so. I will miss out on many things because that is the only way to find joy in the things that really matter.

Everyone misses out on something. Those who try to do everything end up missing the most important. What are you missing?

Lesson of a New Stove

I picked up a new stove on Monday. We do not go in for fancy. So, the new one is a lot like the old one. It is the same color, uses the same type of heating element; the control knobs are in the same places. The new stove is, in every way it could be, just like the old one. But the heating elements are located differently. They are the same size and type as the old elements, but the large are where the small were and the small where the large were.

One might not think that a little change like that would matter, but it does. When the ingredients for breakfast are set on the counter, it turns out that they are in the wrong place. The oatmeal is where the sweet potato needs to be; and the sweet potato is where the teapot ought to be. It is amazing how the placement of the heating elements changes everything. We will get used to the new arrangement eventually, but we might as well learn the lesson the stove is teaching us.

Change is rarely as easy and straightforward as we expect it to be. If we were learning to use a stove with all the latest technologies, we would expect a “learning curve.” But the truth is, even when one sticks to the simplest model available, there will be unexpected complications. Let us remember that and try to be patient.

Let’s remember that and try to be patience when the church makes changes to its programs. Some people believe it should be simple to make changes in a church, but often small changes have unexpected consequences. It takes time to work out the details. Be patient.

Let’s remember that in our attitude toward others. Some people are struggling with uncomfortable changes in their lives. Perhaps an old familiar voice is absent, or a new voice is making itself heard at all hours of the night. Such changes upset the pattern of our lives and may lead us to be less able to cope with other things. Change is a necessary part of life, but it is never as simple as we think it should be. Let us be kind and considerate of one another.

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph 4:1-3, ESV).

Busy or Faithful?

The busiest generation in history may not be the most productive one. An article that I read recently suggests that complaints about being busy are at an all time high in America, but that evidence of actual work getting done is lacking.

People say they are busy, and they may be quite busy, but relatively little is being accomplished by all this busyness. For too many, working long hours has become a substitute for working effectively. In many companies, those who work long hours are honored as martyrs, while those who work shorter hours (even if they accomplish more) may be belittled as lazy. It is a shame that this is happening in the business world, it is worse yet when it spills over into the church.

With Christians there are two things almost sure to be neglected when we begin to honor busyness.

Prayer will be neglected. From a human point-of-view it is counter-intuitive, but if there is a big and important job to be done, we should NOT get busy on it right away. We should pray before starting, while working, and after we have finished working on it. We may find that we will not be as busy, but we might be more effective, and we certainly will have been more faithful.

Preparation will also be neglected. The kind-hearted person who sets up a doctor’s office without “wasting time” going to medical school will soon be in deep trouble with the law. He may argue that he needs to get busy saving lives now, but his claim will not be heeded. Those who are too hasty sometimes take on work for which they are ill-prepared. They will likely stay very busy; but great harm may be the result. With regard to the medical profession there are clear guidelines to protect us from the hasty. Within some circles in the church, the practice of appointing the ill-prepared is an honored tradition. But it is one against which the scriptures warn (1 Tim 3:10; 5:22).

Dead Unto Sin

Bradley Wright is a sociology professor at the University of Connecticut. He admits to having that common problem of overdoing certain behaviors. It is not a sin to eat an occasional dish of ice cream, but he found himself eating too much, too often. He tried to practice moderation, but it did not work. Then he made an interesting discovery. He explains it this way,

“In actuality, abstention is usually easier than moderation.
“How can this be? As I understand how the brain works, it loses neural connections underlying a behavior once we stop doing that behavior. Use it or lose it. Moderation keeps brain circuits active. Abstention lets them atrophy.” (quote taken from an email newsletter, emphasis is in the original)

It is easier to give up a harmful or dangerous behavior completely than it is to practice it in moderation. If we attempt to cut back on sin, we keep the neural connections that cause us to desire it alive, and there is virtually no chance of success. If we consider ourselves “dead unto sin” (Rom 6:11) the connections begin to atrophy, and we have a much better chance of success.

Too many of us are trying to walk the tight rope, or to skirt the edge of the canyon. Instead we should be getting as far away from sin as possible. We should “put to death therefore what is earthly” in us (Col 3:5). We should “make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires” (Rom 13:14).

As a preacher in my hometown used to say, “Too many people have just enough Christianity to make them miserable.” He was right. Half-way Christianity is no fun. It does not work. Go all out for the Lord or you will never find success or happiness in your faith.