Words and Actions (Talking and Walking)

Tuesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Jeremiah 33
NT: 2 Corinthians 10
W&W: Ecclesiastes 7

Today’s Reflection:

How many times have we rolled your eyes at one who boasted of what he was going to do? Or how many of us have boasted about things we planned to do? And, don’t you find it humorous when sports teams or players “trash talk” about how they are going to defeat their opponents only to be defeated themselves? The words of the Old Testament ring true in this regard: “One who puts on his armor should not boast like one who takes it off” (1 Kings 20.11).

In my message on Sunday, I preached about the time that Jesus healed the paralytic (Mark 2). Before he healed him, he pronounced that the man’s sins were forgiven. Those “religious muckety-mucks” who were in the congregation that day got a little incensed: “Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” Jesus responded in an interesting way. He observed that it is much easier to say “Your sins are forgiven” than it is to say “Rise up and walk” to a paralyzed man. The results the first pronouncement cannot be observed and measured, but the results of the second one can be observed and measured.

From today’s New Testament reading, an alternate translation of 2 Corinthians 10.13 and 15 reminds us not to boast about “things that cannot be measured.” Instead we should boast about (report on) what can be observed and measured:
• Results, not intentions
• Actions, not motives
And, I would add, this “boasting” should be of such a kind that the results speak for themselves.


This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Romans 3.22: This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference.