In Whom Do You Boast?

Jeremiah 9:23-24: "This is what the LORD says: 'Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,' declares the LORD."

This is certainly a timely proclamation from the LORD to the stubborn people of Judah during Jeremiah's day. These people failed to obey the Law of the Lord, and chose instead to follow the desires of their own hearts (9:13-14). They claimed themselves to be a people of wisdom (8:8), yet they found the Word of the Lord to be offensive (6:10). Whereas they were hearing the Words of coming judgment from prophets like Jeremiah, still they brazenly responded, "God is not angry with us . . . . He will do nothing! No harm will come to us" (2:35; 5:12). These people were great at following a formality of worship; however, their worship in fact was only in pretense (3:10), for they had no awe of the Lord of Hosts (2:19). They would not follow the commands of the Lord (6:19), which revealed that they were consumed with the exaltation of their ways about all others (even God Himself).

These people were prideful in their supposed wisdom, strength, and riches. They looked to the external evidences of their superiority and believed themselves to be impervious to judgment. In fact, they believed themselves favored simply because they held these superior qualities.

God called them to redirect their boasting . . . not in themselves but in Him as the Sovereign Lord of Hosts! The people of Judah were called to anchor their joy and pride in an intimate relationship with the Lord . . . the One who is full of kindness, justice, and righteousness for those who would surrender to Him.

There is a good word for us in this passage. How often do we see ourselves falling into the same trap that these Israelites fell prey? Do we find ourselves taking pride in our supposed wisdom, or in our strength, or even our material prosperity? We must remember that these qualities do not necessarily make us into a people favored by the Lord; in fact, these traits can swell our hearts with pride so that we turn away from the Lord.

What we must do is forsake any pride that is birthed from our accomplishments or prosperity. We must examine our hearts to see if we have oriented our desires toward personal satisfaction, even above our allegiance to the Lord. And if we find ourselves pursuing such ends, let us repent of these acts of rebellion and return to the Lord, whose mercy and love overflow to those who would seek Him above all other persons and things.