Do you know someone who struggles with bragging?
It’s natural to want to brag about your accomplishments. When you play sports, there’s a bunch of moments that are definitely “braggable.” If you score a tough basket, amazing goal, or a tough touchdown catch, these are all moments that you want people to know about. With the use of YouTube, Snapchat, and Instagram, these moments can go viral and add to your fame. The thing is, you’re not the first person to do it. There have been an untold thousands of people who’ve made a basket, or scored a touchdown, etc. There’s no need to brag about it. It’s part of the game.
This was essentially the message Paul was trying to get across to the Corinthians. He didn’t want them to brag about their witnessing skills (that was a thing back in the day). Instead, he wanted them to brag about God. His reason was summarized in verse 18: “For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.”
If you feel like you’re doing spectacular things in sports, resist the urge to brag about it. You can be proud of yourself but ultimately, let God do the bragging for you. Things always work out much better when He’s in charge. And if you absolutely must brag about something, brag about how God’s love for you 🙂
