[1 Corinthians 13:1-4]

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.  Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast…”

TRUTH TO BELIEVE:
“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; 
on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. 
You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy…” Isaiah 9:2-3, NIV

I don’t know about you, but sometimes the temptation with social media can be to use it to boast about my life.  I’m just being honest.  I may not always think of it that way, but we are all definitely and purposely shaping our on-line presence by what we choose to share.  Of course we would want to paint our lives as interesting, exciting, and fun.  But there’s a problem with boasting in this or really any other arena.

When we boast we are throwing light and attention on us.  That’s a problem because we aren’t the main event in this show.  In theatrical terms we call that up staging and believe me, it’s not something you want affixed to your stage career.

Boasting about our own importance is foolish and distracting.  When we boast we force others to gain our approval.  We put ourselves into the spotlight.

But we already have the Light of the World.  There is no need for an understudy.  The Great Light has come to the world in the presence of Jesus Christ.  He is the main event.

We must allow God to impress us with HIS greatness.  Love is the security we have in Christ that needs nothing else for fulfillment.

HOPE TO CLAIM:
“Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don’t see many of “the brightest and the best” among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families. Isn’t it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these “nobodies” to expose the hollow pretensions of the “somebodies”? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ. That’s why we have the saying, “If you’re going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, MSG

Boasting about my greatness only leads to pride.  Boasting about the things the Lord produces in and through me has real value and benefit.  Real love will flow from us when we allow God to be the Light Source in our lives. When we realize that He is God and we are not, then love will be a by-product!

CHALLENGE TO EMBRACE:
Write this verse on your hand today and hide it in your heart:

“He must become greater; I must become less.” John 3:30, NIV

Rather than: LOOK AT ME, we should shout: LOOK AT HIM!

Love does NOT BOAST.

Following,
Ginger

Advent Resource: I’m hoping this one is going to make your day both merry AND bright.  Head back this way later this morning for an ADVENT GIVE-AWAY!  Trust me, you want to check it out. 🙂