Boasting About Have and Do

Here is a verse I memorized in college but then never felt the problem of boasting about have and do.

¹⁵ Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life^[a]—is not from the Father but is from the world.

Pride of life can mean I need to boast about my good works or I need to boast about my stuff.

Here I Am Boasting About Have and Do

Recently, I have been struggling with these two.

I bike to a school where I part time teach. I am proud of how far and fast I bike, and I boast about it.

Also, I have a nice bike I usually ride and an old model bike I sometimes use for shorter trips inside the school.

If the students see me with the old bike, I say “This is my old bike” or such things.  I want to be seen with the cooler bike.

Furthermore, I want the students to come see my Western style home. Pride and proving myself bleeding all over me.

I am a child of God. I am loved. Who I am, and who God is are the central issues. Here is another verse I I need to put to heart again

¹⁸ For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

So Empty, But God Makes Us Full

Ah, the empty way of life rears its head. God help me. Silver and gold are perishable things like my bike and house. My biking is also perishable, and I can only do it as God makes me able and gives me spirit.

So then, can I give thanks? I can bike and live in comfort. Am I thankful? How much better if I could tell the students that God blessed me and I am thankful for these things.

What do I have that God does not give me? my health? my bike or house? Are these not to give thanks for? Are they not perishable? But my soul is not perishable nor are the souls of my family and these students. Are these not the main thing? We have these imperishable things to give to the lost. May we let God transform us from the inside:

² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

May we glory to God and not our own stuff and achievements. For each of them may we give thanks.