November 24, 2016 NO ROOM FOR BOASTING
1 Corinthians 1:27-29: “but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world, and the despised, God has chosen, the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are, that no man should boast before God.”
The propensity for man to become prideful is ever-present. Pride becomes a problem and a stumbling block when we take credit for whatever ‘good’ thing we have done. Pride is indeed subtle; we can even become prideful about how many scriptures we have committed to memory, or about how much we help the poor, etc. God created mankind with great minds and abilities, and man apart from God can accomplish much, but because He does not acknowledge God, man’s best efforts will prove fruitless and he will suffer great loss. The realization that apart from God we are nothing, is the antidote for pride. Romans 5:8 reminds us that before we came to know God we were without hope: “But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, died for us.” For man to think that he lives and exist and succeeds apart from God, reveals the depth of his depravity. One would do well to remember the words of 1 Corinthians 1:25: “For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” God displays His power and wisdom by using what the world considers weak and foolish to make the point that no man can boast before Him. God is not on an ego trip and He does not need the approval of man, nor is He in competition with man. It is God’s heart that we recognize that He is our creator and that He is our Father who redeemed us from our fallen state. If we are to have any wisdom, it begins when we recognize our utter dependence on Him. James 4:10 is a wonderful promise for each of us: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.” Rather than being a power-hungry God who demands our obedience, He is a God who loves us and gave Himself for us that we might come to know Him as our loving Father. It is a privilege to humble ourselves before Him and to acknowledge that we live and exist only because of His love and grace. We may view ourselves as insignificant on the grand scheme of things, but be reminded that God chooses to work through those who recognize their dependence on Him. Remember the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9: “But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
Psalms 97:1-2: “The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. Clouds and thick darkness surround Him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.”
Isaiah 64:8: “But now, O LORD, You are our Father, we are the clay, and You our potter; and all of us are the work of Your hand.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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