This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” says the LORD (9:23-24)
There is a tendency in all of us to compare ourselves to one another and to find glory in our strengths or in whatever we possess that seems to surpass others. Jeremiah mentions three things that we often find glory in–our wisdom, our abilities, and/or our wealth. I think these three are prime objects of our attention and boasting because they are so easy to compare with others. School grades, games, quizzes all attempt to measure our knowledge compared to others. Sports and many occupations often put us in competition with others over abilities. And the number of toys we possess, the type of car we drive, and the size of our house are often used as measuring sticks of our success in the wealth department.
God tells us that none of these things are worth boasting about. None of them last. None of them make a person any better than anyone else. And none of them will matter when we stand before a holy and righteous God. Instead God says if you are going to find glory in anything, find glory in the fact that you understand and know Me. To know God is the supreme purpose of life–to know who He is and to be in intimate relationship with Him. Jesus says that knowing God is the essence of eternal life–Now this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent (John 17:3).
So who is God? He is the LORD, Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And He is the One who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness in the earth. In fact, God says He not only exercises these things on earth but He delights in them.
God delights in love, justice, and righteousness. We see all three at the cross of Christ. Christ lived a righteous life, knowing no sin. Christ went to the cross to bear our sins and to satisfy the justice of God. And Christ bore our sins out of love to offer us the gift of eternal life. At the cross, God’s love, justice, and righteousness perfectly met. That’s why Paul proclaimed, God forbid that I should boast in anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ… (Galatians 6:14).
And in Christ, God begins to develop these three characteristics in our lives. To know God is to grow in love, justice, and righteousness. It is to seek to live a righteous life, to desire justice, and to exercise love and grace toward others. What does the LORD require of you? But to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8).
All three must be balanced in our lives. Sometimes we get overzealous for justice and forget to show mercy and grace toward others. Or we become so focused on love that we tend to overlook the need for justice and righteousness. But knowing God intimately involves a progressive alignment of our hearts with His heart. Because of His righteousness, we become more aware of sin in our lives and in society as a whole. Because of His justice, we seek to defend the defenseless, stand up for the persecuted, and pursue fairness in the legal and economic systems of society. And because of His love, we develop a heart of compassion and grace toward others.
What should I glory in? Not education, golf scores, or financial investments but in God alone and in the work that He is doing in my heart.
Lord, thank You that You are a God that delights in lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness. Align my heart with Your own.