What Do You Glory In?

Reading in Jeremiah, and the following verses hit me. 

Jeremiah 9:23-24
(23) Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
(24) But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.

People in general tend to play up their good traits, and downplay their weaknesses. We are apt to feed into praise from others, and revel in it. And in turn continue to seek it out, because it fills something inside of us. 

Proverbs 20:6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find? 

I mean, look at social media. Most people put their best foot forward (ten hundred points to whoever actually knows why we say that) and create an online life that is nothing like reality, because people will praise it. 

Viewing this over and over on countless feeds breeds dissatisfaction with our reality. It causes us (well me at least!) to examine parts of our lives that have nothing to do with actual success according to God’s standard, and try to find ways to improve them. 

And sometimes we seek to get praise through posting good works we’ve done ‘for the Lord’ but really are ‘for the Likes’. And we may not even realize we’re doing it. If we post something we’ve done, thankful that God gave us opportunity, we give Him the glory for it, and promptly forget about it- that’s one thing. 

But if we post something, and check the feed every hour to see if anyone responded, and feel disappointment, or sadness, or decide to delete the post because not one person ‘liked’ or commented on it- that’s a problem. 

Proverbs 25:27 It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.

And it isn’t good to be constantly told you are beautiful, or your kids are perfect, or that your home is amazing. These are things that falsely shape our perception of ourselves. 

We aren’t open to rebuke, or loving criticism, or chastisement when we think we are ‘amazing’, ‘so good’, ‘so wise’, ‘beautiful’. We think too highly of ourselves far too often. 

Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Look back in the verses in Jeremiah. The thing we ought to boast about is that we know the God who embodies all the things we want to become! 

He shows lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. And He loves us! He wants us to know Him, and to make Him known. 

Stop a moment today and ask yourself: “What am I glorying in?” 

If the answer is anything but knowing the amazing God of the universe, then you need to get Him back in His rightful place. 

Psa 115:1 Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.

Psa 29:2 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

Psa 62:7 In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

Psa 96:8 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts.