Jeremiah 9:23, 24
“This is what the LORD says:
“Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom,
or the powerful boast in their power,
or the rich boast in their riches.
But those who wish to boast
should boast in this alone:
that they truly know me and understand that I am the LORD
who demonstrates unfailing love
and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth,
and that I delight in these things.
I, the LORD, have spoken!” (NLT)

—

I’m pretty good at a few things. I have skills, abilities, a pretty good memory, and defining characteristics that make me who I am. I am the World’s Foremost Expert in very little, except for my wife of forty years today. (Happy Anniversary!)

Every area where I excel is surpassed by someone of greater ability or talent. There is no need for me to think like Phil in Groundhog Day when he said, “I’m a god. I’m not THE God, I don’t think.” What God and I have in common is his perfect love. He loves me without limit, which is wonderful because I have nothing but limits. I couldn’t hold onto my salvation for a full day if it depended on me. God never breaks a sweat as he holds me in the grip of his grace.

God asks us to delight in delightful things. My wisdom is not one of those things. My powers, whatever they may be, and to whatever extent I can wield them, are not among those things. My wealth is not one of those things.

Here’s what there is about me that’s worth boasting about:

* I know God for who he is.
* I know he loves me with unfailing love.
* I know he is perfectly just.
* I know he is always right.
* I know that I can delight in these truths because this is how he chooses to relate to me always and forever.
* I know I can depend on him being the same gracious, merciful, and kind Father in heaven for all of my tomorrows as he has been for every day since he spoke this world into existence.

Everything I could boast about begins and ends with God, not me. The Apostle Paul came to the same conclusion. See the full story in 2 Corinthians 11:16-33. See the conclusion of the matter in verses 30-33:

“If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am. God, the Father of our Lord Jesus, who is worthy of eternal praise, knows I am not lying. When I was in Damascus, the governor under King Aretas kept guards at the city gates to catch me. I had to be lowered in a basket through a window in the city wall to escape from him.”

My Swiss cheese style of holiness and accomplishment only appears majestic when covered and wrapped up in God’s amazing grace. Every good thing about me is really all about him.

A couple of years ago, my bride and I were in Cape Town, South Africa. It was the first morning after we arrived. Jet lag and too much caffeine were battling it out for supremacy. I required a break men of a certain age require more often than their younger selves. Walking through an unfamiliar office, a woman named Jessica clearly understood my need as I wandered somewhat hesitantly and aimlessly.

Without a word, she pointed her finger in the direction of the room I required.

I needed sleep, caffeine, and directions to manage the task of that moment. Jessica wordlessly directed me along my best next steps. Isn’t that like God? His goodness and greatness direct us toward what we need. He does this all day every day, and never tires of showing us the way we should go.

Again, the Apostle Paul gives us the right words to express this truth. In the next chapter of 2 Corinthians, he writes more about boasting. He gives us the bottom line in verses 9 and 10:

“Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

My strongest strength is my confession of my weakness. “For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

I am not THE God.
I am not a god.
I am woefully incompetent at so much.
I am truly good at so little.
I am a trophy of God’s grace who can use even me to accomplish his purposes.
I am weak, and that gives me God’s strength for what is good, necessary, and beneficial.

—

I will freely confess my weakness so that others may see how good God is.

—

Our Father, I am weak, and you are strong. I need you. I depend on you. Thank you that I belong to you. Thank you for holding me in the grip of your grace. Thank you for using a clay jar like me to show your incomparable glory. Amen.