The Love Doctor 7: Love Does Not Boast

Get your rotten tomatoes ready, I am about to make some folks mad....again.  Before I do so, please reference our text below:

1 Corinthians 13

4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

We have said many times that the kind of love our beloved apostle is referring to is agape love.  That is the uncodintional love God has for us.  Paul writes that love is not boastful.

When I think of boasting, I think of more than just a person having diarrehea of the mouth.  I think of a boastful attitude in general. I think of  countless Hip Hop songs where the entire content is about how great the artist is that made it.  Boasting, as I am using it here, extends beyond the occassional self serving one-liner (which is also bad) into the realm of people being constantly 'puffed up' with an inflated view of themselves.

As a parent, I look for opportunites to teach my kids not to think too much of themselves.  Why?  I want my kids to understand what Christ did for them.  Even if they do something great, I want them to know that it was God that allowed them to do it.  I am more concerned with their 'God-Esteem' than I am with their 'self-esteem.'  I detest the whole 'self-esteem' movement, where we don't tell people the truth because we don't want to damage their self image.  I am so glad Oprah is off the air with her 'self absorbed' foolishness.  Yes, I just said it. 

If we saw ourselves as God saw us, as wretched sinners, then we would not seek to elevate our self esteem.  When we think too much of ourselves we start to give ourselves credit for things that God does. 

We take ownership for talents that are given to us.  Then, we run to our computers and post up how wonderful we are on Facebook.  Brothers and sisters, trust me, there is nothing that we can do that is truly good.  That's why Jesus had to die a horrible death, because we are wretched sinners, and His death was a punishment for our sin.  To think of ourselves as anything else is an insult to the sacrifice He made for us. 

Are you mad at me yet?

Love does not boast because it is too busy focusing on the object of said love.  Love does not have time to brag because it's thoughts are not of itself.  It's thoughts are on how to serve.  For example, I love my wife dearly.  Therefore, she will always come first.  I make a conscious choice to do that.  Before I knew God's love, it was the other way around.  I had a boastful attitude which made me want to always think of myself first.  Thank God for changing my heart.

When we love others we do not boast because boasting leads to resentment, envy and jealousy.  Even good boasting can lead others to become jealous.  When we love, considering others is a way of life.  So we don't walk into a room and talk about what a wonderful marriage we have because we don't know if someone in that room is struggling to keep their marriage together.  We don't brag about how our children are doing so well because we don't know if someone in the room does not even know where their child is.  When you love you internalize the idea that your boastful comments could be a serious stumbling block to others. 

Love, the way Paul describes runs contrary to the popular culture that is so centered on 'self'.  Love, the way it is described in the bible gives no thought to self and will never seek to 'puff up' itself by boasting.  Think about your words this week and how they may affect those around you.  Love does not boast.