I declare myself the winner!

2 Corinthians 10: ¹⁷ But, “Let the one 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. 18 

============

Sitting at the traffic light with my eyes fixed on the red, I prepared to hit the gas the moment the light changed. Of course the driver in the lane next to me didn’t even know they were in a race. Every once in a while my minivan full of people would run up against a person in a sports car who was aware of my tactics leaving me in a cloud of dust. I couldn’t declare myself the winner that time!

• When I think I am better than I am I fall on my face.
• When I believe I am better than other people reality brings me back down to earth.
• When I perceive my performance is better than it actually is then I open myself up for some harsh criticism.

I can rationalize myself to be better than “that” person or “those” people over there simply by setting a goal only I know or comparing myself to people who aren’t doing the things I’m doing. I hand pick my competition and wallop them without them knowing declaring myself “winner.” Then I boast about my achievement.

• GOD enjoys when I point people to HIM and not on my self-declared status.
• GOD loves when I point people to HIM and not on my self-declared accomplishments.
• GOD elates when I point people to HIM and not on my self-declared righteousness.

All that I accomplish needs to be credited to GOD. HE needs to be the one who says “well done my good and faithful servant” based on how I treat others. HE looks at my thoughts and attitude and can easily discern my motives. My bragging should be that GOD is the only one who is “good” and all I have achieved comes from HIM.

• Are you comparing yourself to someone?
• Are you busy looking at your accomplishments thinking you are “good” or “bad?”
• Can you stop comparing and just live for CHRIST at least for today?
• Won’t you brag about what GOD is doing for you instead of trying to be noticed?