Daily devotion – boasting!
Proverbs 25: Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, And do not stand in the place of the great; 7 For it is better that he say to you, “Come up here,” Than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, Whom your eyes have seen.
When I was growing up boasting was frowned upon. Humility was praised. Things have changed greatly since then and now people are encouraged to boast. You can be talking to a stranger, and they will expound how wonderful they are in their own eyes. Children in sporting teams show no hesitancy on telling others how good they are or that they are the best or better than someone else.
Societies thinking has leaked into the Church and often we hear boasting now in the family of God.
The Bible never commends anyone boasting. It teaches strongly against self-promotion, self-infatuation, and pride.
Psa 94:4 They utter speech and speak insolent things; All the workers of iniquity boast in themselves.
Pro 27:1 Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.
Then we have parents boasting to you about their children. Teachers must love having a classroom of geniuses and perfect children and hearing so from the parents of such gifted individuals.
Why is boasting wrong? Not only because the Bible speaks against it but also it portrays mans’ sinful attraction to doing things – apart from God – independent of His blessing or gifting.
Whenever I speak or communicate to an AFL player about their football prowess, I always couch my comments with the words – gifting from God. No matter their standing with the Lord.
Anything good we can do or achieve is through the blessing and gifting of God. Paul tells us that in our flesh dwells no good thing.
The Bible teaches us we can make one boast – Gal 6:14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
So let us boast on the glorious and wonderful work Christ achieved on Calvary’s Cross and nothing else!