Our Boasting Hurts Us And Others
“We just closed on our million-dollar home. Our children will be going to the best schools in the country, of course …”
I’ve never heard anyone say these exact words, but we’ve all heard similar remarks, especially at family or class reunions or read them on social media. It’s no fun being around a boastful person. I don’t even like being around myself when I hear myself bragging. It’s so unbecoming.
What does our bragging say about us? When we feel the need to prove our worth by esteeming ourselves above others, we not only display our lack of love and respect for them, we also reveal a lack of love and respect for ourselves.
This week, as we tackle 1 Corinthians 13:4’s final challenge: “Love does not … boast; it is not arrogant” (ESV), perhaps we can minimize our temptation to brag by understanding God’s love. If we feel secure in Him, we won’t have to reach for validation from others – or ourselves. If we practice loving others with God’s love, then perhaps they wouldn’t feel the need to boast.
In fact, when we’re boastful and arrogant, we become so self-focused we can’t see and recognize others’ accomplishments. Or we see their accomplishments as threats to our “importance.” Both are detrimental to our relationships and our spiritual growth. Choosing to applaud another’s success rather than tooting our own horns is another way we can display genuine, godly love.
As we wrap up our discussion on 1 Corinthian 13:4, let’s look at this verse in its entirety once again:
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant.
Which characteristic do you struggle with the most today?
- Patience?
- Kindness?
- Jealousy?
- Arrogance?
Would you consider going to your heavenly Father, acknowledging your weakness, and asking for grace to do better? Let’s do this together now:
Heavenly Father, we want to love others with the same love with which You love us. We want to love magnanimously! Please help us in the areas where we’re weak. When we’re tempted to be impatient, unkind, jealous and arrogant, help us instead to be longsuffering, caring, content and humble. May we feel so secure in Your love that we behave as Your dearly loved children. Amen.
What about you?
I’d love to hear your thoughts about this post. (Others might also benefit from your comment.)
- How would it change you if you felt more secure in your Heavenly Father’s love for you?
- How would it change your relationships?
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What does our bragging say about us?
I’ll admit that I do have trouble at times being patient. God is working on this with me, and being around children, and my own mom, as she has Alzheimer’s, encourages me to constantly be in check with this fruit of the Spirit! I so appreciate your insight in these devotions you write, Sheryl! ️
Thank you, Kim. I ASSURE you the Holy Spirit is speaking to ME also as I write these devotions.
I appreciate you stopping by again, Kim. Your comments bless me.
I would say that my biggest hurdle now would be patience. Over the years I’ve worked on the other areas so I’m not too bothered by them. Jealousy is a bit of a lingering problem.
Jesus has been so patient with me while bringing me back to him and convicting me of many things. By focusing on such messages have really helped to keep me balanced.
Good morning, Sandra. (Though I’m sure it’s way into the afternoon where you are!)
Praise God for His long-suffering patience with me too. Like you, He’s done so much in me. THANKFULLY, He has not stopped His transforming work because I still have plenty of areas that still need working on! 🙂
It’s always nice to see you at Today Can Be Different, Sandra.
Great article. I am sure we all have examples we can give. Let me give two. A family member was working a minimum wage job. Somebody from corporate came to do a presentation on the company’s financials. First, she started out by saying they would not understand any of that. Some employees had solid financial and business background, but had been laid-off and were just trying to get any income, working two jobs with family members with health issues, while they looked for other jobs. Then, she started bragging about the new designer purse she bought and the big pay raise she just got (employees there had never received one). No thank you was ever given for their work or acknowledgment of the contributions they made.
Then, one Christmas Eve, I went to a church I was considering joining. A member got in the pulpit and bragged that he gave $100,000 to the church every year and his children went to the best private schools. He had nice house. They could do that too if they only tried (he was a doctor). They just had their priorities wrong. This was a church in the poorest state in the nation and the church was certainly not in a wealthy neighborhood. I never returned to that one.
I hope I don’t sound like I am bragging about not bragging, but I learned about humble leadership in the Army. A braggert had no credibility. Soldiers would ridicule such a person. Braggerts were looked upon as a risk of sacrificing them for their own ego. It was how you took care of people.
I have found the seminary to be a very humbling experience. Nothing to brag about as it involves very demanding, tiring, and technical work that, quite frankly, is no fun. However, I hope the experience will enable me to better be Christ’s humble servant. The works will speak for themselves.
Good morning, Robert. Your examples were quite revealing. I agree, braggarts lose all credibility. Another very good reason to live humbly before God and others.
I’m glad you stopped by again, Robert! Please continue to do so.
Thank you, CROSSMAP, for making “Our Boasting Hurts Us And Others” an Editor’s Pic!