The LORD says,
“Wise people should not boast that they are wise.
Powerful people should not boast that they are powerful.
Rich people should not boast that they are rich.
If people want to boast, they should boast about this:
They should boast that they understand and know me.
They should boast that they know and understand
that I, the LORD, act out of faithfulness, fairness, and justice in the earth
and that I desire people to do these things,”
says the LORD.
(Jeremiah 9:23-24)
Human beings are proud and insecure, so we are constantly boasting in order to make ourselves seem more important than others. The things we boast about are usually the things that we think define us. If we are wealthy, we brag about that wealth because it makes us who we are. If we are influential, we boast about our influence. If we are smart, we boast about our intelligence. Because we see these things as defining who we are, people come to know us based on those traits.
It should not be this way for the child of God, however. Our boasting should not be about our intelligence, our influence, our strength, or our wealth because these things do not define us. What defines us should be our relationship with God, and this is where these verse really get convicting. Can I really boast that I know and understand the Lord? I have to admit that if I was comparing myself to others, I would keep the focus on my intelligence or athleticism or physical attributes. I’m not sure I can truthfully boast about my knowledge and understanding of God because quite frankly I probably do not know him as well as I should.
And so I am left asking myself the question: What defines me? Do people know me as the smart guy or do they know me as the guy who knows and understands the Lord? Am I known for how I dress or what position I hold in my company or am I known for delighting in the faithfulness, fairness, and justice of the Lord and living them out in my life?
Lord, take away my pride and my insecurity so that I will not focus my time and efforts on puffing myself up. Help me to seek a greater knowledge and understanding of you and your attributes that I may live them out. May I be known not for my own talents and abilities, but for what you have given me and have chosen to do through me. May the world see you when it looks at me. Amen.