“Praise should come from another person and not from your own mouth, from a stranger and not from your own lips” (Proverbs 27:2).
“I’m the best!”
“You can’t beat me!”
“I’m so smart!”
“Bring it on!”
Whether they are smack-talking, showboating, or just simply being conceited, it’s hard to be around people who are constantly telling you that they are the best. (If they aren’t the best, they think they are better than you.)
If you walk around constantly telling people that you’re the fastest, smartest, strongest, coolest, or prettiest—did I miss anything?—pretty soon nobody really wants to hang around with you. That’s because true friends are kind, interested in others, and helpful.
If you end up with no friends around you, you make it a lot harder for God to use you in his plan. Who will believe what you have to say about God if they can barely stand to listen to you talk about yourself? Bringing God glory is way more important than telling others how awesome you are. When you’re tempted to brag about yourself, tell them, “Let me tell you how awesome God is.”
By the way, if you do happen to be the fastest, smartest, strongest, coolest, or prettiest, let someone else brag about how they see God working through you. Let other people praise you.
Dear Father, you have given me many talents and abilities, but I didn’t do that on my own. They are gifts from you. Help me give you glory in every situation. Amen.
