Day 7- Taming the Boasting Tongue

Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips.

~Proverbs 27:2

At some point you have done it.  You may even feel justified in it, after all, if you don't point out what you have done (and done so well we might add) who is going to notice and give you credit?  Or even worse *gasp* someone else might take credit for your work!  And yet we are told to keep quiet about it.  Why?

Let us first look at 1 Corinthians 4:7, "What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it? "  We have nothing except what God has given us, not our house, our car, our clothes, our money, even our appearance.  All have been gifts of God.  Even our salvation isn't our own doing, but a gift of God (Ephesians 2:8).  When we make the mistake of thinking that we have somehow earned these things on our own we need to check ourselves.  We are tools of God.  Isaiah 10:15 reminds us of this when it says, "Shall the axe boast over him who hews with it, or the saw magnify itself against him who wields it? As if a rod should wield him who lifts it, or as if a staff should lift him who is not wood!"  Without Him we could not accomplish our works.  He gives us our possessions as well at the ability to do the works that we do to "earn" them here.  Given that this is true, what do we have to boast about ourselves in?

2 Corinthians 11:30 tells us to boast of things that show our weaknesses if we must boast.  Why? Because God especially chooses to work through the weak so that He rightfully gets the glory.  1 Corinthians 1:27,29 tells us, "God purposely chose ... what the world considers weak in order to put powerful men to shame.  As a result, no one can brag in God’s presence." (God's Word Translation)  When we accept that everything we have comes from God that only leaves us one thing to boast about...God.  To boast of our own works is like telling those around us that we painted a great work of art because we had the priviledge of owning it for a time. 

Matthew 6:1 reminds us, "When you do good deeds, don’t try to show off. If you do, you won’t get a reward from your Father in heaven" (CEV).  You see, it isn't about us.  Our actions and deeds here shouldn't be drawing attention to what we do or have, but about pointing the way to the one who blesses us with these things.  Even if no one on this Earth ever notices what we have done with our lives, in our weaknesses, you can be assured that our Father in heaven does, and he is pleased when we do them out of love to serve Him.  So don't try to draw the attention to yourself, it credit must be assigned, let others assign it to you, and you can give the glory to God.  After all, that is where it rightfully belongs!

Father, help us today to overcome our pride by remembering that EVERYTHING we have, everything we do, everything we are is only because of You.  Help us to close our mouths when we attempt to claim the glory for the things that You have done through us.  I want to point the way to You.  I thank you for all that you have given to me, and pray that in some way I can use it to bring glory and honor to You.  In your Son's precious name I pray.