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The Boastful Axe
It’s about to be Super Bowl weekend again. Of course, I’m writing this in June, so I have no idea who is in the Super Bowl this year. But for the purpose of this article, let’s assume it’s the Dolphins and the 49ers. Why not?
Obviously, the Dolphins will win the Super Bowl and they’ll get rings. But did you know that for most teams, the owner, the general manager, the whole coaching staff, managers, even athletic trainers, get rings too? Everyone gets one.
Is that fair? None of the support staff could win the championship without players, so do they really deserve one? On the other hand, could the players win without the owner, the general manager, the coaches, or even the athletic training staff? It’s hard to say.
How would you feel if you met one of the assistant athletic training staff (ahem...waterboys), and they were flashing their ring around being very boastful about the part they played. I would never argue they shouldn’t get a ring, but, come on, they should be a little humbler about it, right? “Tua, yeah, you get one, clearly. Mostert and Hill, I mean, obviously. McDaniels, no doubt. Mr. Ross, you can have three if you want, sir. But the assistant athletic trainer, well, you can have one, I guess, but, bro, know your place.”
Arrogance is ugly. It seeks to take more credit than it deserves and is always envious of praise that goes to others. By contrast, real humility, especially when worn by a talented, valuable person is attractive.
In Isaiah 10:15, God is warning the nation of Assyria against arrogance. Comparing them to an axe, He lets them know that although He is going to use them to discipline the Israelites for their disobedience, they shouldn’t boast. He asks, “Should an axe brag against him who chops with it? Should a saw exalt itself above him who saws with it?” In other words, come on Assyria, bro, know your place.
God is sovereign, which means He’s in charge. So, God saw fit to allow the nation of Assyria to sweep in and takeover Israel. God had been patient with Israel for hundreds of years and had sent judges and prophets to warn them along the way, but eventually, they needed correction and God could no longer relent. But then Assyria got all like, “did you see my ring?”, and God had to cool them off a bit.
We are guilty of being like both sides. We are sometimes Israel, and our arrogance causes us not to heed God’s warnings, and discipline becomes necessary. I also think sometimes we’re Assyria, and despite our disobedience, we have seasons of victory that leave us feeling a little puffed up. In both cases, we’re in need of a good humbling, and God’s righteousness can feel sometimes like a sharpened axe to cut away the damaging arrogance threatening to separate us from His will for us.
In other words, the Super Bowl ring is a gift and none of those who receive one can take full credit for receiving it. It’s a gift; one that could have easily gone to the 49ers...again!
Westminster Christian School, located in Palmetto Bay, Florida, is a private, college-preparatory school for children from preschool through twelfth grade.