GUIDANCE ON THE MATTER OF BRAGGERY

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.

James 4:16

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

We all want to do good things in life. I feel this is really a part of our essence as human beings as feelings of accomplishment raise our spirits and give us a sense of worth, especially as we are continually trying to find our place in the world.

In this striving to achieve great things and the ensuing emotional highs we get from them, there is something we need to always keep an eye on, something that can change all our excellence into sinfulness if we’re not careful. For under the intense spell and glow of our achievement(s), we can run the danger of bragging about what we’ve done and perhaps become so puffed up that we begin to boast about what we’re going to do next, promising something bigger and better.

With this, it’s little wonder that God speaks out boldly on this subject through His Word. Consider these verses:

Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth. Proverbs 27:2

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.” Jeremiah 9:23

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in Heaven.”

“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:1-4

Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought. Romans 12:3

And then, we have the verse for today from James, chapter 4. It comes right after God’s Word instructs Christian believers to live in the present, fully committed to fulfilling His perfect will instead of focusing on tomorrow. In response to anyone who doesn’t heed this, James writes:

As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. v.16

The arrogant schemes James refers to here are the worldly plans people make beyond the present day, arrogant in that they assume that the Lord is going to give them future days when the truth of the matter is that He is the One in control of all time, past and present and future.

No one dictates to God; it is completely the other way around.

Now, it’s not that the Bible says that all bragger is bad and sinful. The Word actually prescribes boasting by Christian believers but that boasting will always be directed to the only One who is worthy of boast, the Lord Almighty. Look at these verses that affirm this:

“...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. Jeremiah 9:24

...as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:31

I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak His praises. I will boast only in the Lord. Psalm 34:1-2 NLT

The bottom line here is that in all things, the Lord gets the glory. Period. He is the only One who is always worthy of all our honor and praise and so if we boast and brag in anyone, it needs to be Him. If you do something great and commendable, simply give credit to the Lord for blessing you with the opportunity to excel and the ability to do so.

Today and every day, let’s always put ourselves second to make sure the Lord is seen as first and make sure everyone we see knows it.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.