Boasting
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Have you ever encountered someone who just loves to boast? They are very vocal in letting everyone know just how wonderful they are!
They are the type of people who often dominate conversations talking about themselves, even stretching the truth or lie to make themselves look better.
I remember as a child, whatever we talked about, there was always one kid on the playground who said they were better than everyone else.
In my teen years, someone would boast how they stayed up later, or drank more alcohol or passed their driving test ahead of others.
As an adult, there was somebody who bragged about the car they drove, or the holiday they went on, or how much they earned.
It seems to me, that at all ages and across all areas of life, somebody will always boast about themselves.
This was happening also happening in Bible times. In the Old Testament, God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah about it…
“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.”
Much like today, people were boasting about their wisdom, strength or riches. In contrast to this, God said that people should boast that they know Him.
Knowing God is to understand His character: that He is kind, just and righteous. God invites us all to know Him personally.
In my experience, this has been a game-changer for the better. I am quite happy to tell others about God and how amazing he is: to boast about Him.
It’s this kind of boasting that redirects the attention away from me and entirely onto God.
God bless you:)
Gary Bastin
Hope Community Church leader