Commendations

                 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. (II Corinthian 10:17-18)

Let’s start by pointing out a couple of things that should be obvious. First, one doesn’t need to boast, in ourselves or in the Lord. Boasting is not legally required, but we seem incapable of not doing it. Even before we start telling people what we did, we shout, “Watch me!” Later, when our command of the language is better, we tell others what we wanted them to watch because they weren’t there to see.

  We all have a need to be loved and valued, but while we think we must earn the love and value of others through our accomplishments, the “I earned it” claim – even when accurate – doesn’t work well. We earned it last week, but this week we fell a little short. Maybe the standards have changed. No, we need to be loved and valued even when we don’t earn it, so commending ourselves is a losing proposition.

Every so often, I take a survey that asks whether or not I would recommend, or re-commend, a company. I usually don’t give a good score in that regard and then explain that it’s  nothing against the company. I just don’t tend to give recommendations, even for my own benefit. That’s part of the reason I find it hard to market my books. I can’t tell you how good a writer I am. I can’t tell you how good  my stories are.  But, I can tell you that in my experience and study of history, the Lord is the only one I would (and do) recommend as God.

The choice is yours, of course, but perhaps the change in perspective will help