Badges

 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.

Webster's Dictionary defines badges as:  a characteristic mark, a mark that identifies.

I've seen many badges.  Military men whose badges represent their Rank and Accomplishments.  Police Officers whose badges let me know that they represent Law and Order.  But there are other badges as well.  Badges that we may pin onto ourselves to make us look good, and once we pin it on to our lapel, we make sure it gets constantly polished by bringing attention to ourselves and our accomplishments.

"I sing in the choir!"

"I work in the nursery!"

"I took a meal over to so and so!"

Do you see the picture?  It can be nauseating at times when we hear others talk about their 'badges.'  But, wait a minute....

We do the very same thing.

We can be in a conversation with someone when they bring up a comment about a good deed done, and we will immediately chime in and say, "I did that!"  My how shiny our badge becomes when we boast!  Right?

There is another badge we pin onto our lapel as well:  The badge of excuses.

"I grew up in an alcoholic home."

"I grew up in a single parent home."

"I've always been this way."

The excuse badge.  I've used it before.  It's the badge of excuses to justify wrong behavior.

Funny isn't it?  How we shine our badges with pride for our 'great accomplishments' and then change that badge out for our excuse badge when we want to blame our bad behavior on someone or something else.

If we claim the Name of Christ, it's time to remove our badges and take up His Cross.

Our identity should be in Him and Him alone-

But that's just me!

1 Corinthians 1:31b  He that glorieth, let him glory in the LORD.

"The fool talks about what he's gonna do,

the boaster talks about what he has done,

and the wise man does and says nothing."  M.C.