It's How You Finish
I love my verse for today from I Kings 20:11, "So the king of Israel(Ahab) answered and said, "Tell him, Let not the one who puts on his armor boast like the one who takes it off." Isn't that a classic? They actually had "trash talking" in Bible times, and Ahab was making his response to Ben-Hadad, king of Syria. King Ahab was not right about very much, but he had this principle right.
It is awfully tempting to boast about what we "can" do before we do it. I have done it, and I imagine most of us have been guilty of that. It is not wise at all. This is especially true when it comes to living the Christian life. We should not be boasting in the sense of taking pride for our accomplishments. However, we can talk about what we have been able to do with God's help. That is the right way to do it. Talk about what "has" happened, not what is about to happen.
I was talking to a person the other day about hiring a new person. My advice was simple. Don't ask them what they can do. Ask them what they have done. We can all talk big before we start. The best thing is to speak humbly about what God has done through us and for us after we are done.
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Kings 22 and II Kings 1-2.
It is awfully tempting to boast about what we "can" do before we do it. I have done it, and I imagine most of us have been guilty of that. It is not wise at all. This is especially true when it comes to living the Christian life. We should not be boasting in the sense of taking pride for our accomplishments. However, we can talk about what we have been able to do with God's help. That is the right way to do it. Talk about what "has" happened, not what is about to happen.
I was talking to a person the other day about hiring a new person. My advice was simple. Don't ask them what they can do. Ask them what they have done. We can all talk big before we start. The best thing is to speak humbly about what God has done through us and for us after we are done.
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Kings 22 and II Kings 1-2.