Less Boasting

“Your boasting is not a good thing. Do you not know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough?” – 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8

Less is usually more.  Subtraction is a good spiritual strategy.  A little often means a lot.  And yet, many of us spend a lot of time on our resumes or on social networking.  We may be warned against boasting but that doesn’t mean we don’t boast!  Karl Jung says we sneak our biography into just about everything we say.

Many of us want to be recognized even more than we want to be known.  We want to be seen for who we are.  We want people to know what we’ve come through.  This hunger for recognition is Human Being 101.  If you don’t believe me, feel the warmth you know after a good conversation with a friend.

Paul is advocating recognition and being known.  He wants the good bread to rise.  Perhaps less boasting and more yeasting would achieve the results of recognition we so very much want.  And deserve.

Prayer

O God, understand how much we want to be seen and known.  And then lead us to a good batch of dough and let us sprinkle our yeast upon it. Amen.

About the Author
Donna Schaper is Senior Minister at Judson Memorial Church in New York City. Her latest book is Prayers for People Who Say They Can’t Pray.