MERIT BADGES

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
-2 Corinthians 4:18-

Personal achievement is a very powerful and alluring idol. Think about our experience as children. Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts; Brownies to Girl Scouts. These are wonderful organizations that teach many positive values — in particular, the value of achievement. Learn to tie a knot; you win a merit badge. Go on a hike and fulfill the given requirements, and you earn that colorful “camping” patch. If you were a member of a scouting group, do you remember how great it felt when the scoutmaster or den mother pinned that patch to your uniform?
Or maybe as a high school athlete you got the letter jacket for your sport, and every year you worked hard to add pins and patches to your jacket to show your achievements. Maybe it was the “1” rating at the state music competition or the blue ribbon watermelon you entered at the state fair or the stack of perfect attendance certificates or academic scholarship awards — the list goes on and on. Many kids find their identity and value in what they achieve. They put their hope in what they one day might be able to achieve.
So, the vest plastered with badges, the jacket covered in patches, the trophies weighing down the shelf, the ribbons and pins and medals, the report cards, the diplomas and degrees, the promotions, raises, and bonuses can all become idols to which we bow. For some, it simply translates to a daily checklist completed, a spotless kitchen, or a perfectly manicured lawn. These are all tangible representations of what we have achieved through hard work and dedication.
I’m not saying there is anything wrong with any of these achievements. In fact, they can be acts of worship that glorify God. But when our lives are all about getting things accomplished we discover there’s not much room left for God. Our approach to worshiping God may be like checking off a box on our to-do list labeled “go to church” or “read the Bible.”
Denying ourselves means not placing so much focus and energy on these temporary, tangible trophies. Instead, we look beyond to what is unseen, to what has eternal significance: “achieving . . . An eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17).

DENYING TODAY
Go ahead, brag on yourself for just a minute: What awards or achievements are you most particularly proud of? Whose congratulating voice do you most appreciate hearing? Think through what you’re currently working hard to achieve. Hard work is good, but honestly evaluate: Why are you doing it? To prove yourself? To compete against someone? To provide a comfortable life? Pray these words from the apostle Paul: “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:7-8).