James 3:14 – But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth.
There’s a passage in the Old Testament, 1 Kings 20:11, that says “…Tell him, ‘Let not him who straps on his armor boast himself as he who takes it off.’” Essentially, this means that a warrior going into battle shouldn’t boast to someone who is coming out of the battle, having already fought. This is like a mom-to-be who has read all the advice books trying to tell a seasoned mom of four kids that they have all the answers. It’s adorable.
Boasting is pretty much the entire reason that social media exists. No one puts their bad days, their sickness, or the times when they’re changing diapers on social media. People generally only post the times they’re dressed up, in a beautiful place, doing something that will make other people jealous.
There’s another verse, 2 Corinthians 10:17, that says “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” The problem is not the boasting, but who we’re boasting in – boasting in ourselves vs. boasting in God. If we’re going to boast, let’s boast in the one who truly deserves the credit for all the good that comes our way.
How can you change the way you boast to boasting in God rather than boasting in yourself?
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