Boasting

This post is part of JusJoJan. The word of the day is “trigger.” It reminds me of the song from “Annie get your Gun.”

“I’m quick on the trigger, with targets not much bigger than a pinpoint
I’m number one, but my score with a feller
Is lower than a celler, oh you can’t get a man with a gun
When I’m with a pistol, I sparkle like a crystal
Yes, I shine like the morning sun.”

Don’t we all like to boast about our achievements and our abilities? Sometimes boasting is a way of hiding our insecurities and boosting our fragile self-confidence.

St Paul said,

“If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: ⁵ circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; ⁶ as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. ⁷ But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.” (Phillipians 3:4-7a NIV)

By the world’s standards of his time, he had every reason to boast. He came from one of the best families. He studied under the great Gamaliel and could write in Greek and Hebrew; so his education was from the top bracket. He studied the law and kept it. Yet he regarded these recommendations as garbage compared to finding Christ and the righteousness that comes from God through Him.

I am very quick to insert myself into a conversation with words like, “I think,” or “I prayed,” as if my thoughts or prayers are in some way noteworthy or superior to other people’s thoughts or prayers. It’s easy to tell other people what we have done for God (in the guise of asking for prayer, of course) rather than telling them what God has done for us.

Let us all follow Paul’s example. “Therefore, as it is written, ‘Let the the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.'” (1 Cor 1:31 NIV)

My Prayer

Lord, forgive me when I try to impress other people rather than trying to please you. Please put a guard on my tongues so that boastful words don’t pop out. Amen.