When I lived in Missouri, the back their license plates said, “The Show Me State.”
You could sum up Missouri’s state nickname with the American value of two words, Prove it.
Watch TV, listen to the radio or podcasts, and read articles with the comments long enough you feel the spirit of prove it. We have an ingrained desire to debate and defend our point. We argue the interpretation of statistics and studies. We have learned to Google the right searches to dismantle our opponents.
Proving it comes at a cost. You can win the battle and lose the war. Ultimately, you can exhaust yourself and others with the need to be right. Our constant back and forth of disagreement divides us more than finding common ground.
Each morning, my wife or I read Thoughts That Make Your Heart Sing by Sally Lloyd-Jones to our daughter. One specific section is titled, But God. Those two words are said approximately 3,930 times in the Bible.
One of those But God appears in Paul’s letter to the Romans:
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8
But God runs counter to prove it. Yes, the gospel brings us to grips with our imperfections, brokenness, and sin. Even more so, the good news of the gospel invites us to experience rest. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we no longer have to feel the burden of proving ourselves.
You can bring your resume. You can prepare your best arguments. You can debate with the best of them. Soon too realize the constant stress and pressure of holding your own.
Jesus invites us to experience freedom and rest in His work. In a world full of prove it, Jesus speaks loudly in the gospel, “You don’t have to prove yourself.”
Consider the following that happens when you release the need to prove yourself:
- You don’t have to win every argument.
- You don’t have to feel the weight of defending yourself.
- You don’t need to take revenge in your hands.
- You can listen to love others rather than planning on what to say next.
- You can acknowledge your anxiety and manage it, rather than reacting from it.
- You can live with peace and grace.
- You don’t have to keep score of the rights and wrongs in relationships.
- You can discover your value and identity in Jesus’ love for you.
That’s good news. The list could go on. I leave you with this question – how would today be different if you let go of the need to prove yourself?
Photo by Frank Busch on Unsplash
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