Whom the Lord commends

But "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.." For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends. – 2 Corinthians 10v17-18

There is never a lack of self commendation. It happens all the time, especially when our standard for commendation is a list that we draw up ourselves. We tick off the items, see that we have done okay, and think that we are doing alright. There is no profit in this, the only approval for one who commends himself is self approval, and that is really no approval at all.

Spending most of my Christian in one circle of churches I saw plenty of this, but I don’t think my circle holds any kind of monopoly. People convince themselves that we they fit a certain behavioural standard than things are grand. Somehow we become the setters of standards for commendation so we always pass muster.

But what about God’s standards? Could I commend myself, if before I went to bed at night, I checked out God’s standards? Did I treat people with love and respect today? Did I reach out a hand to the poor and needy? Did I love my wife as Christ loves the church? Did I provoke my children to wrath? Did I linger on a lustful thought? Did I covet? Did I use my liberty in Christ to serve my flesh? Did I honour and prefer others? Did I prove my love by my actions?

How may of us could commend ourselves with that kind of list?

We only have one source in which to glory. We can only glory in the Lord. In the Lord is my holiness, my righteousness, my purity, and my hope. I can only glory in Him for there is certainly nothing in me in which to glory.

May I daily seek only one commendation.