At the end of the 1990s, I decided to evaluate the capabilities of my body and began doing push-ups. I learned that the standard in the United States Army was sixty-four push-ups per minute. I set a goal of reaching that mark and began training. After some time, I reached that level, but I did not stop there and continued exercising. Excitement took hold of me. I felt the success of this undertaking and wanted to discover my limit. The longer I trained, the higher my results became. At the same time, I was studying to become a bricklayer, and the young men who were in my class did not have such records. But while training, I was also studying the Bible, so I knew that it contained an important verse for all ages.
Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.”
I understood that displaying my strength was a violation of God’s command, but I was bursting with pride over my success. Then came my “moment of glory in the anthill,” when we were given a push-up test. It was very pleasant for me to show what I had achieved. Everyone present was amazed at my results, while I experienced a feeling of special importance, justifying myself by the requirements of the school program.
But then something unpleasant happened in my life. One morning, I decided to do push-ups without warming up my muscles. As I began, a sharp pain between my shoulder blades pierced my body, and I became frightened, thinking that I was having a heart attack. But it was muscle overstrain. The muscles pressed against my spine and displaced something there. I lay down on the sofa and could no longer get up. Every movement sent pain through my body and took my breath away. A doctor was called. He examined me and called an ambulance. Because of the pain in my back, they could not move me onto a stretcher. But after an injection of morphine, the medical workers managed to do so, and I was taken to the hospital. There I was examined, but nothing was found. The doctor gave me many injections of pain medication in my back, seated me in a wheelchair, and sent me home.
After all these events, I stopped training, and all my records passed into history, remaining only in my memory. However, I learned something.
We all learn something and achieve something. From childhood, we seek to boast about something: “Dad, look...!!! Mom, look...!!!” Through these innocent things, we begin to display much that is unnoticed by those around us but brings us joy. We often passionately desire to share the joy connected with our successes and achievements and begin to derive special pleasure from doing so. Where is the line that separates joy from boasting? What may we boast about, and what should we not boast about?
Love does not vaunt itself over worldly success and does not boast about it. In ordinary human life, it does not hinder records and accomplishments, but it does not display them as something significant that can exalt me in the eyes of others. Yet there are talents and qualities that cannot be hidden. Everyone sees them. Beauty, virtue, musical ability, strength, intelligence, wisdom, social position, and similar things are not evil in themselves. But when I begin to boast about something, my soul is exposed to the danger of vanity.
The world has been trained to exalt and applaud those who have achieved or acquired something. This is the currency of our world, and it is in demand in every society. Everyone desires to acquire it.
Two of Christ’s three temptations in the wilderness contained elements of this pride of life, but Jesus firmly resisted such temptations by recalling the warnings of Scripture.
There is a worldly sphere of influence and possession, and there is also a spiritual one. If I arrive among people in a shiny automobile, they will see and determine my status in life, but when I open my mouth, they will evaluate me as well.
Humanly speaking, we are inclined to praise people for their achievements and talents. Sometimes we do this subconsciously, without even considering what we are doing. At times, a person performs a good deed without any evil thoughts, but the praise and admiration of those around him confuse him. He begins to grow in his own eyes, and his self-esteem goes beyond all limits. The person suddenly decides that he is...!!! But there is a loving Father Who teaches us that vanity brings no benefit and that we must be extremely careful not to become proud. God resisteth the proud, and sometimes He touches such people in order to show them who they truly are. The example of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, vividly expresses God’s attitude toward the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.
We read in Ecclesiastes 8:11: “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” When we do not see immediate retribution or God’s condemnation, we sometimes relax and enter forbidden territory without realizing what we are doing until bitter retribution comes.
But what should be done if a person is beautiful and cannot hide it? Or if he is talented and serves people with his talent? Only love can show him how to use his gifts properly. God is not opposed to our glorying in the fact that we know Him and understand what He is doing in our lives. Love teaches us to exalt its Source of love in the best possible way. It can transform many different worldly successes and achievements into advantages for the glory of God. Love is modest regarding human achievements, but great in glorifying God’s wisdom and power. It knows how to exalt the King of kings and always does so with joy, standing in open places so that everyone may see and hear it.
Everything is clear regarding the world, but what should be done with dedicated people who are in the public eye? Some people receive special advantages from God so that they may share them with a wide audience. They need our prayers and support and our gratitude to God, not to them. It is good to thank a person, but we must be very careful not to exalt the creature instead of the Creator. From Whom come wisdom, influence, gifts, and miracles? From God. Therefore, He should be glorified.
Let us speak, for example, about our school of love. Is it a good educational institution? I believe it is. Do you thank God for this school? I hope that you do. It is obvious that this is His undertaking. But very often I hear words of gratitude directed toward me, and I feel uncomfortable. Who am I that I should be praised? If you knew me as I know myself, I believe God would be glorified with special power because He is able to use one so weak and unfit for His glory. Yes, I need human support in prayer, for the enemy of the soul hates me and desires to destroy me. But the best encouragement for me is seeing people’s lives become better, seeing the name of Jesus glorified in this undertaking, and seeing the beauty and power of God’s love become understandable to us through our revelations. The only thing of which I can boast is that I love. This truly is my achievement, which is very difficult for me to hide and which at the same time causes people to mock me. I am struck most of all because of love. But how can this gift be hidden? The entire meaning of Christianity is contained in love, and I long to speak about it with everyone. Love is so beautiful! It brings happiness to me and to my friends.
Homework 58
Please read Proverbs 27:2, 21; Matthew 25:21; Romans 2:29; 1 Corinthians 4:5; and Isaiah 53:11, and consider these passages in the light of our lesson. What revelations did you receive while studying this subject? What did you understand from this lesson? How can boasting be distinguished from joy? How do gratitude, praise, admiration, and flattery differ from one another, and what are their benefits and dangers? How can we glory in God? What verses came to your mind while studying this subject? Provide two of them.