Boastings

"...But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord." Jeremiah 9:24

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Good morning, dear friends!

I consider myself a pretty easy-going person.  I am not the type of person to get angry easily, or allow myself to hold on to grudges or hurts for a long time.  It takes a lot to make me really angry, or to ruffle my feathers the wrong way.

There is one thing that drives me crazy, that gets my carnal nature up to the surface faster than anything else:

Boasting.

I suppose we have all met someone with an "I" problem.  Maybe sometimes I have, to my shame, been a person with an "I" problem:  "I did...this great thing." or "I think...and my opinion is really important because..." or "Look at me, these are MY accomplishments..."

"I" problems, left unchecked, can be serious conditions indeed.

During my reading in Jeremiah this morning, my attention was caught by these few verses in Jeremiah 9:23-24.

"Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches, But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord."

The people of Israel had been very arrogant in their outlook on life, in three areas that are very tempting for many people:  their intelligence, their power, and their wealth.  Who gave them these things for which they were boasting?

God.

If they were able to think or reason, doesn't that ability come from God?  True wisdom is a gift available to any who will ask: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." (James 1:5)

Didn't their power come from the only One who is all-powerful?  "For with God, nothing shall be impossible." (Luke 1:37)

And their wealth?  Does not God own everything? Isn't he the author of every good gift given to man? "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights..." (James 1:17).

When Daniel was called before King Nebuchadnezzar to explain the king's dream, Daniel reminded the king where all of wisdom, power, and true riches came from:

"Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: and he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding..." (Daniel 2:20-21)

Daniel made his boasting of the Lord, and so should I.

May the Lord help me today to give Him all the credit for every blessing that I enjoy today.

My "I" problem is easily correctible, if I get my eyes off myself, and give credit to God to whom all praise is due.