Last night I was watching Family Fortunes. As I’ve said before FF was at its best when Bob Monkhouse was the host and the ones I recorded were in the days after Bob when Les Dennis hosted the show. It feels like he was the longest serving host of the show as well. Although he was no Bob, he was alright and at least sought to make the most of any humorous occasion with the impressionist skills that made him a ‘household’ name in the first place with Russ Abbot.
Anyway, this blog is not about Les Dennis. It’s linked to the episode of Family Fortunes I watched last night. Now if you are uninitiated to one of the best quiz show formats going, the idea is simple. They survey 100 people to give answers to various questions, the most popular answers are then recorded and it is for the contestants to guess which are the most popular answers. Aspects of the guess-work require people to be informed on the subject, but more than that have a finger on the pulse of what 100 people would think.
Now my wife might think me sad, but I’m actually happy to inform you that I’m very good at FF. I make it a point of duty whenever possible to have a go at seeing if I both am informed on the random topics that come up and have a pulse on popular opinion. What makes it even greater a feat is that I’m doing this on the populous over 15 years ago! Sad though she may think I am, Authrine would have to concede I am very good at that game. (When she’s not jealous of my FF genius.)
Anyway, this blog is not about my FF genius. It’s linked to the particular question that came up in the episode last night. They asked a survey of 100 people to name them ‘something that man shows off about’ and there were six answers. Now of course if the blog were so designed, I’d let you guess for yourselves and then find out the answers from an associated link – but I’m not up the technical areas to be able to do that kind of gimmickry. So here are the top six with the number of people who gave the answer of the 100 in brackets:
- Car (46)
- Muscles/Physique (32)
- Partner (8)
- Hairy Chest (6)
- Cash (4)
- Prowess (2)
I watched the list with interest and bemusement. On the surface these appeared to be perfectly reasonable responses especially seeing as though no one would want to make a fool of themselves and concede things like prowess and cash would probably get more votes.
I was then reminded of what it is for a man to boast in things, how he likes to show off. Even though some say they don’t like arrogant men, an aspect of that is jealousy over someone so sure about themselves and with such an inflated opinion. Either way whether out of jealousy or disgust some view those who show off as having something of importance to boast in and see it as a sign of success.
Funnily enough, the number one answer in that survey is meant to be seen as an extension of the number six answer and is meant to establish a man’s status in the midst of his peers. Consider the hours of maintenance and loving affection devoted to it to the extent that indeed some ‘partners’ wish they were treated as well as the car.
Of course it’s not just the male of the species who invests a great deal of time and effort in boasting in things. Even the precious female is known to indulge in a number of things in which she believes her status is based – looks, association, shoes … shoes … shoes. (Have I mentioned shoes?) Yet in regarding the things we boast in I am also reminded of a conclusion a wise man made. It means nothing. Vanity, I believe the word is.
All these things we boast in, what happens to them – we replace the car, as we get older the muscles and physique don’t remain in the same pristine condition, the hairy chest is not so much an attractive feature, our prowess will dim and fail, the cash will come and go. Even our loved ones will grow old and die and as for the shoes …
So much time boasting in the things that count for nothing. Don’t get me wrong, I do believe God has given us things to enjoy (maybe even shoes). There’s a difference, though, between enjoying a gift and boasting in it. When we boast we accord something credit and praiseworthy value to an exalted level. As if it is The Thing. When even in the midst of adoring and acclaiming it, you know in a minute, in the twinkling of an eye it could be rubble, it could vanish, it could rot and be rendered redundant.
You’ll notice earlier I was ‘boasting’ myself by driving the point home about my muscular ability to exert my mental prowess in regard to FF before my adoring partner. (Let me see – ‘driving’ = 46, ‘muscular’ = 32, ‘prowess’ = 2 and partner = 8 that’s a total of 88 – I’ve got to win the cash with that score!) Even I know though that there is little merit in boasting about things like that. Beautiful though my wife is, brilliant though my children maybe, awesome though my work appears, outstanding though my abilities come across – they are not in themselves worthy of boasting.
Just when I get carried away with myself, God reminds me of Calvary. He reminds me of the revelation of His Son and how my piteous boasting in the temporal formed a barrier to rejoicing and thriving in the eternal. He indicates something worth boasting about and Someone worth boasting in. That is why the songwriter can exclaim those precious lyrics:
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame (not even the car or … the shoes)
But wholly lean Jesus’ Name
God’s revealed and expressed love reminds me that I might as well boast in Christ: The Solid Rock.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
dmcd
Life With CD 