DO NOT GLOAT

Jer. 9:23-24 This is what the LORD says, “Let not the wise man gloat in his wisdom, or the mighty man in his might, or the rich man in his riches. Let them boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the LORD who is just and righteous, whose love is unfailing, and that I delight in these things. I, the LORD, have spoken!”  NLT

     We do like to gloat, don’t we?  Whatever it is that we do well, we want to boast about it.  We want others to know that we are worth something.  We like to be noticed for what we do well.  We like to impress others with what we know.  But there is a real problem that we get into when we gloat over our accomplishments.  We tend to internalize it to the point where we crave the attention of others.  It gets to the point where we must have others notice us and appreciate what we do in order for us to feel good about ourselves.  We tend to consider our worth to be what we can do.

      God says the wise do not get caught up into boasting about themselves.  Instead of turning the spotlight on themselves, the wise turn it on the Lord.  They understand that it is God who gives a person the talents and gifts they have.  It is God who enables a person to do things well.  It is God who orchestrates a person’s life in such a way that talents are nurtured and refined.  It is God who provides opportunities to shine and be noticed by others.  It is God who deserves the credit, not us.

      The wise understand that it is God who deserves the glory and honor that comes from a job well done.  It is God who deserves the credit for the work He does in our souls.  We owe Him the credit for saving us, keeping us, growing us, and using us.  It is the Lord alone who deserves the praise and glory of man.  It is God who makes us righteous and gives us a life worth living and dying for. 

      The wise in heart delights in the Lord, not in what he can do well.  He does whatever he does for the honor and glory of God, not himself.  He keeps his eyes focused on the Lord, not himself.  He continues to do what he does well, but he does it for the Lord and Him alone.