I am the best!!!

We all, at some point in life, have either bragged or boasted about ourselves to our friends or even strangers! Our friends would have called us a show-off behind our back several times. We too would have had this kind of experiences with others. Usually people show-off or boast to build an impression about themselves that they are someone greater than those around them. Have you ever wondered what causes us to show off or boast? Is bragging / showing-off a desirable quality?

Let us look into the treasure book and find clues!!!

OPENING THE TREASURE BOOK

Dictionary defines boasting / bragging as talking with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about own achievements, possessions, or abilities. And showing-off is to boastfully display one’s abilities or accomplishments. These basically means nothing but crowning yourself and making yourself glorious in front of others.

For he says:

“By the strength of my hand I have done it,
And by my wisdom, for I am prudent;
Also I have removed the boundaries of the people, And have robbed their treasuries;
So I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man.

Isaiah 10:13

The word of God also describes a person who glory in himself / herself as boastful. Such people believe all their achievements are because of their own strength and wisdom. But they are foolish and ignorant of the fact that they are all God’s creation who are positioned by God to be used in a certain way. And also that, their achievements are actually God’s grace in their lives.

Shall the axe boast itself against him who chops with it? Or shall the saw exalt itself against him who saws with it? As if a rod could wield itself against those who lift it up, Or as if a staff could lift up, as if it were not wood!

Isaiah 10:15

Imagine an axe that boast to the woodcutter who uses it, “You are very lucky that you are holding me. I have cut down many forests. You are nothing without me and you cannot do anything without me.” What do you think the woodcutter will do to such an axe? Definitely the axe becomes a nuisance and he would throw it away and look for another axe. Such an axe is definitely foolish and ignorant. If someone does not hold the axe and use it, it will just rust away and will not be useful in any way. Similarly is the one who boasts. They are foolish and ignorant of the fact that they are just an instrument used by God and their accomplishments are not in their might or strength but because of the grace of God. They take all the glory for themselves. They are in fact robbers who steal the glory that is due to God.

Boasting is not a desirable quality. The boastful are those who crown themselves and glory in themselves. Such people are foolish and ignorant that they are just vessels in the hand of God. They try to steal the glory that is due to God.

The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor; Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised. For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire; He blesses the greedy and  renounces the Lord. The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts.

Psalms 10:2-4

But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

James 4:16

If there is wickedness in your heart, pride and arrogance also becomes a part of you. Pride is to have a high opinion of oneself and ones importance. God detests pride. We already learned in Have an attitude? that GOD finds a Proud Heart DISGUSTING and He RESISTS it. When you have a prideful heart, it leads to arrogance – having an exaggerated sense of own importance. Pride and arrogance makes you feel more important and worthy than your fellow beings and in turn causes you to show off, boast and brag about yourself.

Boasting is a fruit of wickedness caused by Pride and Arrogance.

Thus says the Lord:

“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me,
That I am the Lord, exercising loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these I delight,” says the Lord.

Jeremiah 9:23-24

But “he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.

2 Corinthians 10:17-18

The only thing we can take glory in is that we know the Lord God Almighty. We can glory in the Lord and nothing else. Everything else – our talents, our wisdom, our possession, our strength, our health, our beauty, our family background are all God’s gracious gift and not things for boasting or showing-off. Glory belongs to God and not to us in any way. We should give God the glory that is due to Him and not try to steal what is rightfully His by boasting, bragging and showing off.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9

Even our salvation is a gift of God and is not dependent on our works or performance so that there is no chance for anyone to boast. Jesus, the son of God, died on the cross for our sake and rose back to life on the third day. Whoever believes in Him is saved from eternal doom. No flesh can boast about this as it is a free gift to all who believes in Jesus.

Glory belongs to God and only Him. He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.

Treasures uncovered

Prayer:

Father, we thank you for teaching us that boasting is not a desirable quality. Help us to always consciously stay away from boasting or bragging. Help us to always detest wickedness and everything associated with it. Father, we give you all the glory and honor that is rightfully yours. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

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