BOAST IN THE LORD

“This is what the Lord says:
“Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom,
or the powerful boast in their power,
or the rich boast in their riches.
But those who wish to boast
should boast in this alone:
that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love
and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth,
and that I delight in these things.
I, the Lord, have spoken!” (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

The ancient rabbis interpret ‘boasting’ from this verse in ascending order. The first boast would be wealth, the second is strength or power, and the third is wisdom. These three capture most of our boasting.

He concludes that if we must boast… ‘the one who boasts should boast in this: that he understands and knows me… that I am the Lord’ (9:24). We also boast in knowing this: ‘That it is the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things.’ (9:24)

I also believe that that we may possibly have some wisdom, power/strength and wealth, but our boast is not in these things. It is in the Lord who delights in ‘demonstrating unfailing love and bringing justice and righteousness to the earth.’ At least it’s easy to say.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” Jesus