But who are we to measure our lives against the world around us rather than to measure our lives according to the standards of the Lord? Given He created us in His image, not to reflect the world but to be born again through faith in Jesus Christ and to renew our minds with the Bible and to watch our lives be transformed as we are conformed to the image of Christ, who then are we to boast and brag and glory in what we perceive to be our wisdom, our strength, and our riches? How foolish, is it not? Hear the Word of the Lord!
Jeremiah 9:23 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
Jer 9:24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD. (KJV version)
Just How Wise, Strong, and Rich Are You?
0Wise? Strong? Rich? Are not these the standard measures for success in this world? A computer technician from another country conducting technical support over the telephone with me recently gushed at the mouth over how clear it is when he speaks to Americans how vitally important riches and appearance are to so many of us in this nation. He did not speak of wisdom and strength, but are these not also standard measurements of living the so-called American dream? How often have we measured the success of our own lives, or of the lives of others, with these measurements? Wisdom. Strength. Riches.
God commands us not to brag about ourselves with the wickedness of the sin of pride, but to humble ourselves and to boast of Him. We are to glory in God! We are to brag about Him! Should we be proud of human wisdom, human strength, and human riches, knowing full well that each and all of these are utterly fleeting, utterly temporary, utterly ephemeral, and will be utterly gone whether this very day, sometime soon, or at some point in the future since none of what we possess on this earth we will take with us whether we end up spending eternity in heaven with the Lord through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ or whether we spend forever in hell separate from God because we have refused to repent and to believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ who died on the cross to bear the penalty for our sins? Not an ounce of human wisdom, of human strength, nor of human riches will we take with us! All of it will perish. So in what then shall we glory? In what then shall we boast? In what then shall we brag?
God does not only command us not to glory in ourselves. He tells us what to do instead. In what shall we glory? In that we know Him! In that we realize that He takes delight in His loving kindness, in His judgment, and in His righteousness. In whom then do we glory if not in ourselves? In Him! In the Creator of the universe! In our loving Father! In our merciful God who sent Jesus Christ to the cross to offer us a redemption plan whereby we would not spend eternity separated from Him because of our sins, but that we could spend forever – from this very moment forward if we should so choose – in an intimate, personal relationship with our Lord and our God when we humble ourselves and repent and believe what Jesus has done for us! In this we are called to glory! In Him! In our God!
Do away with your prideful thoughts. Do away with the notion that your human wisdom, your human strength, and your human riches make you a success. No longer seek human wisdom, human strength, and human riches to make you feel good about yourself or to bring attention to yourself in the eyes of the world. Seek godly wisdom through studying God’s Word. Seek the strength of the Lord by humbling yourself and admitting your weaknesses that He might be strong in you. And thank God for the riches you possess when you place your faith in Him and realize there is no greater gift in the world, nothing richer, nothing more beautiful, nothing more marvelous and mighty and magnificent than the Lord Himself!
Please visit Walk by Faith Ministry at https://www.walkbyfaithministry.com.