Boast in This

Transcript

Hello, my friend… so glad you're with me today. This is By God's Call — day 241, Boast in This.

"Thus says the LORD: 'Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.'" Jeremiah 9:23-24.

God names, one by one, the three things the world values most. Wisdom — the ability to understand, to solve, to counsel. Might — the ability to overcome, to endure, to prevail. Riches — the ability to buy security, comfort, status. And over each one, God says the same thing: don't boast in that.

This is not a condemnation of intelligence, strength, or resources themselves. It is a warning against building your identity on them. Because the wise man can lose his discernment tomorrow. The mighty man grows old. The rich man can lose everything in a single morning. If your boast rests on any of these three pillars, it will one day shake.

So what remains? "Let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me." Notice the word: knows. Not knowledge about God, the way you'd memorize facts from a book. It's knowing God, the way someone who lives alongside another, who has history with them, who has already watched their character reveal itself up close.

And what character is that? God answers it Himself: "that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth." This is not a distant, abstract God. This is a God who acts — who practices steadfast love every day, who does justice even when no one is watching, who maintains righteousness even when it would be easier not to.

And here is the part of this verse that moves me most: "for in these things I delight." God doesn't practice steadfast love, justice, and righteousness reluctantly, like fulfilling some tedious duty. He delights in it. It's what He most loves to do. Think about that — the Creator of the universe finds joy in being faithful to you, in doing justice on your behalf, in maintaining righteousness in your life.

Now, with complete honesty: which of the three pillars have you been leaning your own boast on? Maybe it's your intelligence — you take pride in always having the right answer. Maybe it's your strength — your ability to endure, to handle things alone. Maybe it's what you've built financially. None of these things are wrong in themselves. But none of them can be the foundation of your identity.

Today, I want to invite you to make a trade. Identify which of these three you most lean on, and consciously trade that confidence for pursuing a deeper knowledge of the Lord. This isn't a trade of loss — it's an upgrade. Because wisdom fails, strength grows old, riches slip away. But the knowledge of God stands firm forever.

Stay close to God. Pray — then act. I'll see you tomorrow, my friend.