“This is what the Lord says: ‘Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know Me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,’ declares the Lord.” — Jeremiah 9:23-24
Boast About This
Benjamin Watson had a long (15 years) and successful football career (first-round draft pick; 2004 Super Bowl champion) playing tight end for the New England Patriots (two times), Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens and New Orleans Saints (two times) before retiring after the 2019 season.
What many people do not know about his NFL career is something Watson achieved before it even began. During the pre-draft process, NFL hopefuls are given a Wonderlic test, which consists of 50 exam questions filled with problem solving and cognitive questions that players must answer in 12 minutes. In 2004, Watson took the test and scored a 48 out of 50, the third-highest Wonderlic score in the history of the NFL.
But over Watson’s professional football career, you didn’t hear him ever boast about his high Wonderlic score. Instead, Watson used his platform in the NFL to boast about his relationship with Christ and how the Bible informed his actions both on and off the field.
You may not be intellectually or athletically gifted to the degree of Benjamin Watson (not many are!), but you can still look for everyday opportunities to boast not in your own accomplishments, but to boast that you know God, the Lord of “kindness, justice and righteousness.”
— Matt Doan, Pastor at Calvary Church in Orange County, Calif.
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