This evening one of my wife’s students came to class wearing a U C Berkeley sweat shirt. She told my wife she wore it especially for her because that is where my wife earned her doctorate. But, my wife asked, how did you know that? It seems the student is also in one of my classes and I told. My wife refrains from telling people because she thinks it smacks of pretentiousness. But I maintain it isn’t pretentious if I tell.
It is like walking around bragging that you are a Christian. It does seem unseemly. But it isn’t unseemly if someone else recognizes and comments on it. According to Jesus people will catch on because of our being a loving caring person. He said, “Hereby shall men know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35. He also said, “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.” Matthew 10:32. So being a real Christian isn’t so much what we proclaim ourselves to be as much as it is how we act and how we treat each other.
Just before Christmas when most people are rushing about to get things done a young man wearing a “Jesus is my Lord” sweat shirt rudely jumped into a checkout line at Kmart. I almost said something but I decided to let it go. He already seemed a bit agitated and I didn’t want to exacerbate it.
So I will continue to go on bragging about my wife’s accomplishments. And may I add that I graduated from Middletown Pennsylvania Middle School and have a framed diploma clearly stating that I successfully finished 8th grade.
Written by Roger Bothwell on March 26, 2015
Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
rogerbothwell.org