Articles
Foolish Boasting
It is said that an unknown Titanic crew member told an embarking passenger, Mrs. Sylvia Caldwell, “God himself could not sink this ship!” I think we all know what happened to the Titanic, don't we? You might remember, too, that a man named Harold Camping made a prediction a few years ago that the world would end on May 21, 2011, and billboards across the country carried this prediction, along with the bold proclamation, "The Bible Says So!" I think we know what happened in that case, too. [We're all still here!] On a lighter note [pun intended], Oxford Professor Erasmus Wilson commented on the electric lights that were shown in Paris in the late 1870s, saying, "When the Paris Exhibition closes, electric light will close with it, and no more will be heard of it." Thankfully, Professor Wilson was also wrong.
Why do men boast so foolishly, especially when his predictions fail so often? More importantly, why do men foolishly boast about certain spiritual matters of which they know little or nothing at all, or which contradicts what God's word has already revealed? We are no less foolish in our boasting than the one who said the Titanic couldn't be sunk when we make boasts about our spiritual standing before God, or statements about what we "know" God would or wouldn't do when, again, God's word says differently.
A man who says he "just knows" God wouldn't condemn or punish a man who lives a sinful life, or who simply refuses to believe He exists is boasting foolishly. A man who says God will save a "good" person [even one who never believes in, or obeys the commandments of, Jesus] is boasting foolishly. No matter what the circumstances or the situation, boasting about things we do not know, or even can know, is the height of foolishness; it is even more foolish to speak words that contradict what God's word has already revealed. Do we actually think we can overrule God? Do we think we know more or better than God?
Whenever we are tempted to boast foolishly, it would be good to remember the words of the wise writer, who wrote by Divine inspiration: “Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles” (Prov. 21:23). Let's consider a few reasons why we should take a more humble approach and not enter into the realm of boasting about the things of life, and let us resolve to be wiser in our thinking and in our words.
We Don't Know The Future. James admonished those who would say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit,” warning, “you do not know what will happen tomorrow.” He goes on to remind them [and us] that our life is short — “but a vapor” — and that instead of boasting about things we do not know, we should rather say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” Let us not overlook the facts James told those who would boast about what they would do “today or tomorrow,” that such was done in arrogance, and “All such boasting is evil” (Jas. 4:13-16).
Life is short and we don't know if we have tomorrow, or even what might be the rest of this day. To make claims that we will definitely do this or that is indeed arrogance, but let us note that God also calls it “evil.” Why? It is evil simply because we have begun trusting in ourselves, rather than in God, and have elevated ourselves to a level of knowledge we do not have. Let us remember to be humble and say, as James urged us, “If the Lord wills.”
Our Righteousness Is Insufficient. We are probably familiar with the story Jesus told of the praying Pharisee and publican, as found in Luke 18:9-14. In the story, the Pharisee approached God in prayer and said, “God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.” What arrogance! Here is a man who we might be tempted to recognize for the fact he is at least praying to God, but then we hear what he says and we find there is no reason to praise him! This man boasted in himself and the things he did that, to him, should have indicated to God how righteous he was, and how much better he was than the lowly tax collector.
It should be noted that Jesus told this story “to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others” (Luke 18:9). This Pharisee was one of those who trusted in himself that he was righteous, and was so full of himself that he felt he needed to point this out to the all-knowing God — and while he was at it, reminded God he was not like this tax collector! What a contrast to the prayer of the other man, who simply cried out, “God, be merciful to me a sinner!”
Of course, we must not miss the point of the story, in the concluding words of Jesus: “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:14). Let us learn to be humble about our righteousness, recognizing we will never merit the glories of God's forgiveness and salvation or even heaven, but depend on the great love, mercy, and grace of our heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ.
It Demonstrates A Lack of Love. In Paul's Divinely-inspired words that described love, he noted love “does not parade itself” (1 Cor. 13:4); the ESV translates this as “does not…boast,” and the NASB translates this as “does not brag and is not arrogant.” Regardless of the translation, we understand what God is telling us: love is not boastful and does not think of self superior to others.
Love is what will motivate us to humble ourselves and exalt others, and love is what will allow a man to “esteem others better than himself” and to “look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Phil. 2:3, 4). Not coincidentally, it is this mindset Paul admonishes us to have, for it is the mind of Christ (Phil. 2:5-8)! You see, love is not self-centered, but Christ-centered! If we have the kind of love we should, we will not be thinking about self and what we might want, but we will be thinking about what God wants and what our brother or sister or fellow man needs. One who loves God will love his brother (cf. 1 John 4:20, 21), and one who loves God will humble himself that God might be the one who will exalt him when it is appropriate (cf. Jas. 4:10).
As Christians, we should recognize that we have nothing, in and of self, of which to boast. Let us humble ourselves, as did the psalmist, and say, “My soul shall make its boast in the Lord” (Psa. 34:2). Let us have the mindset, as did the apostle Paul, that “it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20), so with this mindset we may honestly say, “God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Gal. 6:14).
Leave all the boasting to the world, and forget trying to elevate self. Humility is the beginning point of pleasing the Lord, for it is His praise we seek. — Steven Harper
