Our Job

If You’re Going to Blow a Horn, Blow a Trumpet for God

..."If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD." 1 Corinthians 1:31 (Paul)

"...Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. " 1 Peter 5:8

..."God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble." James 4:6

We know that before the LORD took us in, washed us, clothed us, fed us and taught how to stand on our own, we were basically nobodies. If we were "somebodies", we were only such in our own minds and of course in the minds of our beloved mothers, who most probably swears that we are the best child in the world.

We could very well be the best in our fields of study or in our trade or skill or line of work, but like the Apostle Paul taught the Philippian believers, if there was anyone who should be able to boast in who they are, then it would be him. But what did he tell them in Philippians 3? He said "Because of Christ, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life." In fact he said it was all garbage; his lineage, his credentials, his position, his accomplishments, they were all rubbish, apart from Christ.

That is why he is telling us that, if we want to boast, we boast in the Lord (and not on who we are or what we have done). And he minces no words as he called those people who do that, barking dogs.

Indeed, this is a hard teaching but this is really a warning for us if we are ever tempted to say we are such and such, or that we do this and that, just for the purpose of puffing ourselves up. Because once we say it, the enemy could hear them and because we know that his job is to kill, to steal and to destroy, he now has ammunition to use against us and as our adversary they will definitely use our own words against us. Remember, the enemy is prowling around to see who he can devour, he is not a mind-reader but he is a gossiper and he defintely will be listening to what we are saying.

The Word says the Lord opposes the proud, and would not be able to help proud people out.

If you are skeptical, think about the last time you said something that boasted about how good you did something -- lifting yourself up instead of Christ.

Now, think about what happened the next few days after you said it. Did it actually feel like some unforeseen force, event or circumstance happened that tested you by the words you spoke? Yup, that was the enemy at work, testing and using your own words against you. Now, don't feel bad about it, the Lord allowed such things so that we can learn from them. But next time, when there is an urge to boast on who we are or what we have done, then think about the words of the great apostles Paul, Peter and James above, they know the Lord more than we do. And once, the Lord had broken them and used them in ministry, they did not boast about themselves. In fact, Jesus Himself did not boast upon Himself or what He has done. That is our job, not His. His job is done while ours is just beginning -- to make Him famous, not us.

This is why, Jesus said " those who have ears let them hear". The problem is that sometimes we do not listen and so we have to learn things the hard way. Don't know about you but definitely listening and obeying is so much easier.