Agape Love - Deflate the Boastful Balloon

I have always felt that I wasn't intelligent enough, strong enough, adequate enough, whatever enough...Because of that place of insecurity and fear of what people think, I make up for it in sharing about myself a lot in certain contexts. Then I walk away from the conversation where I talked about myself and I feel dumb, and just say to myself "why can't you just keep your mouth shut, and your ears open, woman." Boasting is something I believe many struggle with, because our humanness makes us think about ourselves first. We try to sound like we either measure up or are on the top, and because of that place of insecurity and talking about ourselves, we fail to show love to the person who is trying to share with us. 

The word "boast" means to "puff oneself up in speech". IE: Talking about yourself to make yourself look good. However, we are told that this is not love. Love...It does not boast. (1 Corinthians 13:4) If you really get to the root of it, and think about boasting, you can see that when you boast about yourself, it doesn't show love for another at all, yet when we boast about God and His work in our lives or in the world around us, we are now showing love because you are bragging about Him, not yourself, which is what Paul riddles throughout his writings to the church of Corinth.

2 Corinthians 12:1-10:
I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool,because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 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 weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

When we spend our energy boasting about what we can do, have done, will do, we tend to miss opportunities. When we can boast about what God has done, can do, will do for us, we catch every opportunity.

So, how do we combat this state, and this desire of boasting and remember to give God credit in our lives? Remember some things:

Remember where you have come. No one has ever been perfect. No one has a clean past. So why do we boast that we have those things? Let's be humans to each other and admit our messes and shame because we all need a breath of the imperfect air. We all have something to be ashamed of, but we all have the option to be redeemed from our shame and THAT is something we can boast about. Remember to think about the days you were low and Who pulled you out. Nothing is done by our own means because it is done by God Himself. If that can't be admitted in your life, it's time to see it and consider this great Hope for your life. It's easier to cope with it. It's a more hopeful life now. And it's a sure thing for your eternity. Paul's past is messy, but he boasts in Christ alone. In weakness, we can boast because of where He has brought us.

Remember Who you live for. The One Who knows where you are going, more than you know. Who remembers where you've been and how He brought you through it. Who knows what you need more than you even know. Who considers your desires - Who GAVE you your desires, talents, gifts, skills, heart, circumstances...all for a reason. You can't boast in what He created. You can boast in how great He is for how He works.

Remember what you're here for. What is the purpose of talking about yourself if your marching orders are for expressing God's glory and furthering His Kingdom? We do all we can to follow Him and to replicate His image. Boasting in what Christ has done for us is a sure way to keep this in your mind as you walk the steps of this life, trying to work through those times of insecurity and weakness. If you're trying to promote someone for a position in something, do you talk about yourself and how wonderful you are, or do you do all you can to talk about how great they are?

Agape love does not boast. Always be looking for ways to promote others, especially God in your life and what He has done for you. You will find many more opportunities to be a light to someone because you are shining Christ's Light through what He has done for you. Love others by not puffing yourself up, but by building them up.

Scripture to Read:
Galatians 6:14, Philippians 2:3-4

Questions to Ponder:
How do we intentionally work on not being boastful?
What are some things you are insecure about that may cause you to boast?
In your own words, how does boasting about yourself contradict love? How does boasting in Christ encourage love?