I have been working out lately. By lately I mean the last few years. I have recently stepped it up a notch and wanted to share my milestones with the world so I got MapMyRun app for my new smartphone and logged a few 5K’s for all my “friends” on facebook to see and think I’m awesome! (Tip: By the way it’s more impressive to say “I just ran a 5K!” rather than “I ran just over 3 miles”). I also recently shared a status from my progress on hundredpushups.com program (that I happen to be currently failing at) with the caveat, “not meaning to brag or anything but check out how many push-ups I can do! Aren’t I awesome?” (I didn’t really say it like that).
Is anyone else as revolted by my behavior as I am? (To which I imagine hearing a chorus of people saying, “yes!”)
I am sorry. There is probably a perfectly healthy way to share your healthy lifestyle with others. I’m just not so sure I was doing that. Yes I will still post my runs on facebook (sounds disgusting doesn’t it?) but only to encourage you to get out there and exercise. You believe me right? =)
WE WERE CREATED TO BRAG!
We are all made to worship. Boasting is a form of worship, so boasting is part of the human DNA. We must give praise to something. But boasting about our accomplishments, our stuff, or our smarts is the DNA of the world. The follower of Jesus makes their boast in God.
John writes:
“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.” 1 John 2:15-16 NLT
Yes, it is a sin to brag or to take pride in most everything except this one thing:
God, and more specifically your relationship with God.
Check this out:
“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!” (Jeremiah 9:23-24 NLT)
I was thinking about how foolish it is for someone to boast in their intelligence for instance (or to put others down for lack of it). Do they fool themselves into thinking that they are the source and giver of their own intelligence? Last I checked, God was the source of all wisdom and dispenses it as he pleases. So we all have a measure of smarts that came from him. And then we have the gall to boast of it? Or compare ourselves to others?
Aren’t our accomplishments also God given? After all, He gives us the ability to achieve. But why are we achieving anything anyway? Are we simply achieving for ourselves? For others? Or is it to inflate our sense of self-worth?
Anything you can think of is all gift from the giver, so how can we boast in a gift?
One last thing. With the above Scripture in mind I had posted this a little while ago on my facebook:
I realized I haven’t posted anything ‘God related’ in a while. I just want you to know that I am enjoying life and my relationship with God a great deal more than I ever have and am probably less religious than I ever have been as well. I know God. He is a constant source of comfort and delight to me. He blesses me as much as I am willing to receive. He continues to forgive all my sins and showers me with affection and love just as I do my own daughter.
I want the same for you. I want you to experience life with God as well. If you haven’t yet begun a relationship with God through Jesus, make it happen. I am not going to give you some religious formula, because there is none. It is a relationship and will require investment and commitment on your part as any relationship does. God is already 100% committed to you. He is all in. If you want to know God like I do (or better than I do) then I recommend talking with him about it and asking for that relationship. Read the Gospel of John, and if you really want all that God has for you, then prayerfully read the whole Bible and always keep reading. God has shared his thoughts, his heart and soul with you in his book. I’d love to be a friend to you and help you along the journey.
Related articles
- Do Not Boast (wally1266blog.wordpress.com)
Daniel Lovett 
Good job, Daniel! 1 Peter 5:6,7 (NLT) 6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you
I totally agree with you, son, all boasting is in the CROSS of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! and here I was ready to boast that I swim 16 laps today and that my mood and energy and pain relief are self-induced thru being athletic…but Who is it that gave us endorphins and serotonins in the first place…our CREATOR, therefore He alone is worthy if our praise. But God created our bodies to function much better if we eat healthy, keep our weight within the BMI and regularly exercise! Just getting back to regular exercise after 6 months of an injury I am rejoicing that God, my Creator, lets us have pain relief and mood elevators naturally produced when we exercise, which is His design for us! So in my opinion,all boasting should be in Him and be thankful our temples (bodies) glorify Him by the above…weight, eating healthy, exercising!
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