Today's Devotional
November 15, 2006
Subject: Stop Bragging, Just Play The Game
1 Corinthians 5:6 - "Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?"
I was really skeptical and disappointed when the Dallas Cowboys acquired Terrell Owens before the start of this years football season. Every team that he has played for has been infected with controversy and problems concerning his on and off-the-field antics. His arrogance and braggadocios style didn't seem like the type to blend well with America's team. So the question was how the coaches would handle his attitude.
A week and a half ago, the Cowboys met their age-old and most bitter rivals, the Washington Redskins. In that game, T.O. dropped a couple of passes that really hurt his team, not to mention a 50-yarder that would've clearly been a touchdown had it not slipped right through his hands. The whole team was disappointed at the narrow loss to the Redskins and without saying it, they most wanted to blame the play of their "star" receiver.
God does in fact humble those who exalt themselves. However, we fail to realize that during the humiliation, we bring down a "team" with us. It might not be as many people as a football team, as T.O. does when he makes a mistake, but it is a team nevertheless. It could be your family team, your church team or even a team at work, but when we have to be humbled due to our arrogance or braggadocios spirit, we hurt the team.
I noticed this past weekend that when T.O. caught a pass, even a touchdown, there was less celebrating and less arrogance. Perhaps he got the message.
Today we need to get the message. "Your glorying is not good. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." In other words, bragging is not good because you mess up everything around you.
