Jeremiah 9-10: If You Are Going To Boast

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 kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight,"
declares the LORD. - Jer. 9:23-24 NIV

We boast of all the wrong things.  We whip out pictures of our children or grandchildren.  We inflict our friends with video's of our most recent trip or post the pictures on Facebook.  We decorate ourselves to the nines and then demurely say, "O, this old rag."  We brag on the restaurants we have attended or the meals we have cooked. We brag on the schools our children have attended and their accomplishments. We parade our job titles as medals.  We flaunt the charities where donate our time and or money.  And in the end, it is all rubbish.  Nothing more than wood, hay and stubble.

And all the while, we have something that we can truly boast of, although most of us are too hesitant or shy.  We can boast in the Lord.  We can boast that he is kind, just and righteous.  We can boast that we are his and He is ours. We can boast that he knows and understands us...to the depth of our being, he understands us.  Our folly, our foibles, our fears and failures.  He knows us and he delights in us.

But, "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."  For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.  2 Cor. 10:17-18 NIV