“If You Must Boast, Boast In The Lord!”(II Cor.10:12-18).
We take delight in talking more on the subject we know best. And to some people the subject they best is themselves, so they talk more about themselves.
It is not completely wrong to talk about self; otherwise there wouldn’t be need for autobiographies. What makes talking about self wrong is when we boast.
To boast is to “talk with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about one’s achievements, possessions, or abilities.” A subtle way of boasting is to surround one’s self with stooges and influnce them (in)directly to sing your praise. That’s exactly what the griots of Africa do.
Boasting is one way of self-defense against those who challenge us. Like Paul we can defend our ministry when we are challenged by boasting within appropriate contexts.
If you should boast, boast within proper limits; that is confine your boasting to the field God has assigned to you. In other words,“run in your lane.”
Do not go beyond limits to boast of work done by others. For instance do not boast when you complete a structure whose foundation was constructed by one person and the walls raised by another person. More so it was another person who raised the funds and yet another one bought the plot.
It is not even necessary to boast about work that has already been done in another man’s territory. Focus on expanding the spread of the work beyond to other areas. When we remain boasting of achievements we fail to expand.
Lastly,“Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” That is to say, speak only of what Christ has accomplished through you (Rom.15:18). And to say like Paul,“May I never boast except about the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world”(Gal.6:14).
Those who boast measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves. They commend themselves like a lizard who drops from a height and nods its head, saying,“If there is no one to applaud me, I applaud myself!”
We are tools in God’s hands. We are not approved because we commend ourselves. Those who are approved are those the Lord commends. We should continue to do the work and let God take the glory.
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ let me never boast, except for what you have do for me and through me. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev. Babila Fochang.