But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (Galatians 6:14, NKJV).
Boasting
The older I get, the weaker I get, the longer I walk with the Lord, the less I find myself willing to boast. I think the Apostle Paul felt that way, too. He went from being somebody in the world's eyes - a young, ambitious corporate wonder with the best credentials who came from the best schools (Gamaliel's) to a scorned outcast who had to be lowered over the Damascus wall in a basket. He was a rising star until the Lord knocked him off a high horse and rendered him utterly dependent on those he had previously bossed around. He went from a position of authority to a place of reliance on the kindness of strangers and former adversaries; from the company of the best and the brightest to fellowship with lowest and the least. And I am dead certain he would not have wanted it any other way.
Drawing close to the Lord does that to a person. As their perception and understanding of Him becomes clearer, they begin to see themselves in the Light of His Being, and their own delusions of importance or quality vaporize.
There's another reason that boasting in myself has become less and less attractive or needful - the substance of it is a brittle as burnt toast. Smear all the home-churned butter on it you want, it can't disguise the bitter charcoal underneath.
Boasting
The older I get, the weaker I get, the longer I walk with the Lord, the less I find myself willing to boast. I think the Apostle Paul felt that way, too. He went from being somebody in the world's eyes - a young, ambitious corporate wonder with the best credentials who came from the best schools (Gamaliel's) to a scorned outcast who had to be lowered over the Damascus wall in a basket. He was a rising star until the Lord knocked him off a high horse and rendered him utterly dependent on those he had previously bossed around. He went from a position of authority to a place of reliance on the kindness of strangers and former adversaries; from the company of the best and the brightest to fellowship with lowest and the least. And I am dead certain he would not have wanted it any other way.
Drawing close to the Lord does that to a person. As their perception and understanding of Him becomes clearer, they begin to see themselves in the Light of His Being, and their own delusions of importance or quality vaporize.
There's another reason that boasting in myself has become less and less attractive or needful - the substance of it is a brittle as burnt toast. Smear all the home-churned butter on it you want, it can't disguise the bitter charcoal underneath.
And the final reason is this - I can't do anything on my own. I can't save myself or anyone else. I can't provide real comfort or protection or anything at all of value if it's just me. Whatever good I do, however good I am, it's because of Christ in me, the hope of glory.
The only thing that gives me value is possible because my Lord redeemed me and made me new. And He did that by going to the Cross in my place, taking my sin on Himself, so that I could live. This means that, like Paul, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20, NKJV).
In comparison to that, everything else is just wind.
The only thing that gives me value is possible because my Lord redeemed me and made me new. And He did that by going to the Cross in my place, taking my sin on Himself, so that I could live. This means that, like Paul, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20, NKJV).
In comparison to that, everything else is just wind.
