T H E O P H I L U S

²⁶ Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷ But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸ God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, ²⁹ so that no one may boast before him. ³⁰ It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Pride, according to the Oxford Dictionary is defined as “a feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one’s own achievements”

As Christians, we must recognize our inclination towards pride and arrogance. We often use our accomplishments to judge our righteousness and believe that our personal or church achievements, such as size, deeds, wealth, or history, indicate God’s favour towards us. Instead of giving credit where it’s due primarily to the Lord, we tend to say, “This is what we’ve done.” This mindset is flawed, and we must remember that our financial status doesn’t depend on our faithfulness, nor does our physical health depend on righteousness. Similarly, small congregations aren’t inferior to larger ones, and vice versa. The number of congregants doesn’t determine the gospel’s presence nor indicate greater intimacy. From whatever position we stand, we must be aware of the danger of pride – whether we are in a place we perceive as one of high esteem or one in more needy circumstances.

It comes down to this: We must begin to drop the labels and assumptions about ourselves and others. Instead, we must remember that we are recipients of God’s gifts of grace and are saved by that grace alone. Our salvation and existence are not our own but a gift from God. We cannot earn our salvation by our own efforts; our efforts are the fruit of that salvation.

In today’s world, we are often encouraged to focus on ourselves and our desires—to “do you” without regard for others. Quite frequently, this mentality leads only to pain and destruction to oneself and our relationships. This is not to say that we live our lives consumed by the thoughts of others, but rather that we should be watchful of how we think of others and, most significantly, ourselves.

A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you’re looking down, you can’t see something that’s above you. – C.S. Lewis

As believers and followers of Christ, we must begin with Christ and in Christ alone. The Holy Spirit enables us to live each day, and it is not by our own power or might that we sustain ourselves. Therefore, if we have anything to boast about, it should be about what the Lord has done for us. This will bring us peace and help us to live with love and compassion beyond ourselves.

So, how will you boast of what the LORD has done in your life today?