“Stop your proud boasting! Don’t let arrogance come from your mouth! For ADONAI [the Lord] is a God of knowledge, and he appraises actions.” (1 Samuel 2:3) We all know people who can’t seem to stop bragging about themselves and their accomplishments. They are looking horizontally for a pat on the back when they should be directing their thoughts vertically and thanking God for what He’s done or is doing through them.

“ADONAI makes poor, and he makes rich; he humbles and he exalts. He raises the poor from the dust, lifts the needy from the trash pile; he gives them a place with leaders and assigns them seats of honor.” (1 Samuel 2:7-8) Self-proclaimers walk a very dangerous and often lonely path. Those who fail to see that their successes are gifts from God are often brought to their knees, and the seats they hope to fill–those places of honor–God has already filled with the needy He pulled from the trash piles.

“He will guard the steps of his faithful, but the wicked will be silenced in the darkness. For it is not by strength that a person prevails–those who fight ADONAI will be shattered; he will thunder against them in heaven.” (1 Samuel 2:9-10) Some may believe that self-reliance and satisfaction are not the same as fighting God. They have failed to understand: “Those who are not with me are against me, and those who do not gather with me are scattering.” (Matthew 12:30) There is no middle ground. You can’t say, “Look at me!” and “Look at Christ,” at the same time. 

Therefore–as it is written: “Let anyone who wants to boast, boast about ADONAI.” (1 Corinthians 1:31)