“The Lord says, “The wise should not boast of their wisdom, nor the strong of their strength, nor the rich of their wealth. If anyone wants to boast, he should boast that he knows and understands me, because my love is constant, and I do what is just and right. These are the things that please me.” Jeremiah 9:23-24 GNT
In grade six, I loved to arm wrestle. I didn’t only love it, I was good at it. Whether it was strength or strategy, I do not know, but at the time I had no problem boasting of it as strength. I was quite content to be known for my strength. The problem with this type of thinking is that it places value on the wrong things.
I don’t arm wrestle anymore. It was actually a very short lived season in my life. The problem with placing confidence in external strength and seeing your value wrapped up in that, is that when you meet someone that is stronger than you, all of a sudden your value takes a huge drop.
This is also true of wealth and riches. If I boast today of all the treasure I have gained in the financial realm, but then tomorrow my health fails, I lose my job, or there is a collapse in the economy, then all of my bragging today meant nothing because it had no sustaining power.
The reason we are told not to boast of things like strength and wealth are because anyone that has lived even a few years on this earth knows that to place confidence in either of these things is simply a very unwise choice. However, would we be as quick to say that one who is wise doesn’t have some sort of secure footing? Well, according to this verse, wisdom is not grounds for boasting. Could it be that because any wisdom we gain from books, or life is only wisdom for this moment? For example, ten years ago I may have had a certain level of life experience that would offer me a level of wisdom, but ten years later, life experience has been added to me and my view and perspective of things has changed. What I may have seen as wise then I may not see the same way today. So, to boast of wisdom is to boast of something limited to what I know in the present only. Also, this wisdom I am referring to is still earthly wisdom and not the wisdom that comes from above. This human wisdom is limited.
So, we are told not to boast about our limited wisdom, our temporal strength, nor of our unpredictable treasure. We are to boast about this, “We know God and understand Him.”
Well can anyone truly know and understand God in all that He is?
I see two things here. First, if we are to boast about anything it should be our union with Christ. That is a reason to boast because it will never fade, it is not fickle, unpredictable, but fully reliable. Secondly, if we can’t boast about knowing Him, we have nothing to boast about because everything else fades, while He remains constant.
Today, I am grateful that in all of the things that fade, He remains the same. I boast in this, “His love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out on me.” My union with Christ is the most valuable thing in my life. I am thankful that while pursuing Him, He makes Himself known and reveals where true boasting should be found.
Comments(5)
Betty MacNeil says:
March 13, 2015 at 8:24 amI am thankful that I got to follow these past 49 days of Gratidude. I have not posted much, and I am not sure why, but today I would like to comment. I am certainly more thankful and maybe even a little more wiser, especially in regards to knowing and becoming closer to God.
also, it was very inspirituational to read others comments. Love and prayers to all.
Pat McRae says:
March 13, 2015 at 11:23 amIt is easy to take all the glory isn’t it? It Is a lesson in humility that God has taught many times during my walk with Him. Someone says, “I see you are really prospering, you must really know what you are doing! We nod, we might not speak a single word, but our whole attitude says, “Yes sire, I have done great things, look at me.” Have you ever been asked over and over again, “How did you know to do that, and do it just that way?” Or maybe someone will say to you, “Where do you get all your strength and energy, I am your age and I could never do everything you do?”
These were some of the comments being said to me in 2012 to 2014. God had told me in December of 2012 that I would be financially free. By March of 2013 I was! It was hard work and many times I would want something to satisfy my flesh but I would hear that gentle quiet voice encouraging me to stick to the course, the rewards would be worth it. The funny thing about my financial freedom is when it was secured I had paid out more then I had proof of bringing in? 🙂 oh when people would praise my accomplishment I so wanted the credit but I knew without His guidance and encouragement it would never of happened, so all the glory went to Him. Also during this time I was taking care of a lady in her late 50’s that needed some guidance and help with everyday routines, plus I always had a medically fragile baby in my home. I was loving my life as I get great satisfaction out of helping others out. But I noticed around March/April 2014 I was becoming frustrated with situation that had never bothered me before. So when people would say, “Where do you get your energy?” I would smile, shrug my shoulders and let them think I was Wonder Woman.
But during the first months of 2014 as I cared for a baby addicted to drugs I did things with her that amazed her CAS worker. She asked me repeatedly how I knew to do that? I am sure I had that smug attitude that said, ” Doesn’t everyone do it this way?” It was so easy to take the credit and boast about my accomplishments and finally enjoy being praised for something well done. I ate up all the praise I could get.
Then one day my CAS worker said to the babies worker, “Oh I am sure Pat picked up some tips in all the training we have given her over the years.” POP! The balloon burst with a great Big Bang inside me. I was dumb-founded and angry! 🙁 How dare she say something like that, what training? I bet I stormed for a whole week playing that statement over in my head and finding some rather rude answers for her. Of course, after I was finished with my hissy fit God quietly asked, “So how do you know how to do those things?” I thought about it for a bit and knew the answer. You see when I don’t know what to do I ask God and He would whisper something, and I would do it. Baby would soon be peaceful again. 🙂 Ok God I see it clearly now! I have been boasting in me when really I should of been giving You the glory. In our next meeting I set the record straight with the workers. It was not training and it was not my wisdom, I knew what to do and did it because I asked God and He told me what to do. I told them God knew these babies better then any of us and it is His wisdom and love for them that He shares with me. I am not sure if they understood but that is between them and God. Today He gets all the glory.
Father I thank You that You are revealing Yourself to me as I am able to receive it. I thank You that I have been a recipient of Your loving kindness all my life and I am so thankful I know to give You all the glory for the great things You are doing in my life. Without You I am a nobody, but with You I am unique, a special Apple in Your eyes! I thank You that You are a just Judge and merciful in Your judgments, or surely I would of been done for by now. And Father I thank You for sending Your Son to take my punishment, for my sins. Jesus thank You for dying, arising and now interceding for me, so I can stand in my Abba’s presence righteous, justified. Holy Spirit thank You for continuing to open my spiritual eyes so I can understand and know more about Father God.
To God be the glory, great things He is doing!
Susan Craig says:
March 13, 2015 at 4:46 pmKnowing and understanding God is the result of a lifetime of seeking and asking for the knowlege and wisdom that comes from God. I read the book ” Knowing God ” by JI Packer several years ago – it took me a long time to get thru it but I do recommend it because it is packed full of treasures. My main impression after reading this book, was that no matter how long we seek to know and understand God, the more we realize that us humans just barely scratch the surface when it comes to fully understanding all God is and all of His purposes. In 1Corinthians 13: 12, the Bible says that now we know in part, but then we will know fully even as we are fully known by God. Does this mean we should not even bother to seek to know God and to know His will?? Not at all. Faith in God is doing just that-it is believing that He is and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him-who He is, what He wants, What He is doing, Why He does it, What He expects from us,…..That essentially is the purpose of our lives. Paul in Philippians 3 states that he considers everything in this life a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ. When Jesus prayed in John 17, he said ‘this is eternal life, that we might know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom God sent into the world.’ Jesus also said many times that the world does not know Him or know God even though God has been revealed in Jesus and by Jesus. This verse today states 3 things we can know about God: 1) His love is constant 2)He does what is just and 3) He does what is right. We can know this to be true because the Word states it as a fact-therefore we can trust that this is truth. If we ever are going to boast about anything, God is pleased when we boast about our true knowlege of His attributes, His glory, His purposes as revealed in scripture,in Jesus and by His Spirit.
But this verse today also states there are 3 things that people in this world boast about, that God is not pleased with- our wisdom,our strength and our wealth. Because in all 3 of these, the focus shifts away from God and back to man. Boasting of these things is not pleasing to God when He is not given credit for the fact that Wisdom,Strength and Wealth come from Him. The Bible clearly states that :
1) The Lord gives wisdom-out of His mouth comes knowlege and understanding- Proverbs 2:6
2) God is our refuge and strength-an ever present help in trouble-Psalm 46:1
3) It is God who gives us the ability to make wealth-Deuteronomy 8:18
The problem mankind has is this: we love to boast and claim credit so we can make our own egos look good compared to others. This is pride at it’s core and is the opposite of what God is pleased with. Why do we seek the approval of others to make ourselves look and feel better??? Consequently, why are we then surprised and disappointed when God is not pleased with us for doing that??? The answer is this. God expects us to give credit where credit is due. The Bible clearly teaches that God resists the proud and lifts up the humble-pride is what was Satan’s downfall and pride is what separates us from God. Pride was the sin of the Pharasee. Pride is not giving God the credit(and therefore the glory) that He rightly deserves.
Today and everyday, my goal needs to be to please God in all that I am,all that I think,all that I say,all that I do. I want to know Him and His purposes in my life. I want to give Him the credit for all the blessings He has given to me and to thank Him for the strength,wisdom and provision He gives to me daily. It all comes from Him and He deserves the glory and honor for His constant love towards me. I thank Him that all He does is just and right because He is just and He is righteous. I thank Him that any goodness in me comes from Him and apart from Him, I am lost,blind and hopeless. Thank you Lord for Your word,your truth,your spirit and your wisdom-put a watch over my mind, my heart,my tongue,my life Lord-may the thoughts of my mind, the words of my mouth, the desires of my heart and the actions I do bring honor and glory to You and be pleasing to You Lord-You are my God,my Strength and my Redeemer!! I truely am blessed!!
Sue Holmes says:
March 13, 2015 at 11:36 pmThese verses are loaded.
First, the older I get the more I realize how much I am lacking in wisdom, strength & wealth … at least the temporal versions of these. The younger & more insecure version of myself tried to make sure everyone knew I had all these things. I tried my best to keep on my wise, strong, self-sufficient mask whenever anyone was around. But, by myself, it would slip & I knew I was lacking in each of these. The interesting thing I found is that the more I tried to promote my own virtues & become self sufficient the more bound up I became in the chains that the enemy was more than happy to provide. You see, self sufficiency is the by-product of pride. Pride is one of the major tools of our enemy. It is the one that resulted in his downfall. It is the one that he disguises and makes look so ‘good’ to us.
The flip-side of this is in the second part of the verse, “he should boast that he knows and understands me, because my love is constant, and I do what is just and right”. This takes the emphasis off of us and onto God … where it should be. It is no longer about what we know, how strong we are or how much wealth we’ve accumulated. It is about what He does. It is about knowing God intimately. It is about God’s love. Nothing could be further from the enemy’s pride than the Father’s love. When I place my focus on God the chains of self sufficiency fall away.
Today I am thankful for the privilege of being able to ‘know’ my God. I am thankful that I am not dependent on my strength, on my wisdom, on my wealth … all temporal trickets of this world. I will gladly exchange them for the real thing … His wisdom, His strength, His riches.
Jim Holmes says:
March 14, 2015 at 12:08 amWhatever it is that makes us stand out from the crowd, we should not make a big thing of it.. We are only puffing ourselves up. Being big headed can only lead to personal ruin. We are no longer running the race because we have caught sight of the side lines rather than running with the author and finisher of our faith. One way we can keep our eyes on Jesus is to boast about Him. To know Him is Eternal Life. To understand Him is to know His love. God is love. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He loves. To know Him is to know His heart desires, and to love as He loves. He has given us a new heart…a heart that is just and right, that pleases Him.
Praise God for His never ending love.