Boasting Can Be Hazardous To Your Health
Boasting Can Be Hazardous To Your Health | March 5, 2024
A turtle once wanted to spend the winter in Florida, but he knew he could never walk that far. So he convinced a couple of friends who were geese to help him, each taking one end of a piece of rope while he clamped his jaws in the center.
The flight went fine until someone on the ground looked up in admiration and asked, "Look, those geese are carrying the turtle. Who in the world thought of that?" Unable to resist the chance to take credit, the turtle opened his mouth to shout, "I did."
Boasting about yourself can cause severe damage to your relationship with God and others. While it may seem soothing to your ego, excessive bragging can lead to a significant fall. The Message translation of Proverbs 16:18 says, "First pride, then the crash—the bigger the ego, the harder the fall."
Like our friend the turtle, nothing good comes of taking credit and self-promotion. Instead, let us look to lay low and not chase the applause of others. Trust that God will reward your efforts and bless your obedience. Trying to grab the glory or gloat over good deeds or your spiritual growth is immature and unproductive. Instead, let each of us focus our attention on the following Scriptures:
1 Corinthians 1:31 says, "Therefore, as it is written: 'Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.' "
Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast."
Remember, boasting about yourself can threaten your spiritual health. Push those solicitations of selfishness to the side and seek to honor the Lord your God.
The flight went fine until someone on the ground looked up in admiration and asked, "Look, those geese are carrying the turtle. Who in the world thought of that?" Unable to resist the chance to take credit, the turtle opened his mouth to shout, "I did."
Boasting about yourself can cause severe damage to your relationship with God and others. While it may seem soothing to your ego, excessive bragging can lead to a significant fall. The Message translation of Proverbs 16:18 says, "First pride, then the crash—the bigger the ego, the harder the fall."
Like our friend the turtle, nothing good comes of taking credit and self-promotion. Instead, let us look to lay low and not chase the applause of others. Trust that God will reward your efforts and bless your obedience. Trying to grab the glory or gloat over good deeds or your spiritual growth is immature and unproductive. Instead, let each of us focus our attention on the following Scriptures:
1 Corinthians 1:31 says, "Therefore, as it is written: 'Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.' "
Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast."
Remember, boasting about yourself can threaten your spiritual health. Push those solicitations of selfishness to the side and seek to honor the Lord your God.
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