Knowing God through His Word … Day by Day

Jeremiah 9:23-24 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.”

There is nothing wrong with being wise. God even commands that we seek wisdom.  He doesn’t value ignorance or stupidity over wisdom. He does not say the less you know the better you are. That is not the issue. The issue is what is the driving force of your life?  What you are boasting about or glorying in?

There is nothing wrong with might or power. God places some Christians in positions of great power, some in positions of influence and control . But is that the driving force of your life?  Do you boast in your sphere of influence and having the attention of the movers and shakers?  

There is nothing wrong with riches. God has blessed some Christians with great wealth. What makes it wrong is if that is what makes you tick, if that is what drives you on, what gives you significance.

What would your life be like without your money, without your power, without your wisdom? Answering that question will tell you something. Are any of those things are worth glorying in or boasting about? What if you were suddenly poor? What if you lost your power or influence? What if your mind were gone? Then what? What is left to boast about? 

 ‘But let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me’ (Jeremiah 9:24).

Think about it. What greater boast could I have than to say I understand and know the true and living God? Paul wrote to the Galatians about what he wants to glory in–the cross of Christ–because it is not his glory, it is God’s.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians: ‘For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised, God has chosen, the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are, that no man should boast before God’ (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).

No man can stand and boast in the presence of God. ‘But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, that, just as it is written [in Jeremiah 9], ‘LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD” (1 Corinthians 1:30,31). He quotes from that again later when he writes to the Corinthians in his second letter. ‘BUT HE WHO BOASTS, LET HIM BOAST IN THE LORD’ (2 Corinthians 10:17).