Boasting in Ourselves

I have been thinking about boasting a bit lately. In Matt 6:1-4, Jesus specifically addresses the issue of alms giving, or the good things we do. There is a principle here of not boasting about our deeds.

Now I would like to make a jump, admittedly applying this principle in a different manner, but convinced the concept is the same. It deals with “sharing” with others the “good things” that God has either done for us, or through us.

The specific issue I am addressing is that of composing one’s own music. A professional musician who is regularly composing music and submitting it for publication is one thing. That is his job and talking about it in the usual course of a day’s work is appropriate. However, when we non-professional musicians write songs to the Lord in our quiet times or when we are spending time at our instrument, I seriously question whether we should then go around broadcasting to the world the neat song “God gave me.” Especially when we are in a setting when we are leading others in worship. Sharing such an experience with mom or dad or spouse or friend in private is one thing; sharing it publicly is another and unnecessary. If we have a new song to share, we simply have a new song to share.

Why do we feel it necessary to make sure folks know we wrote the specific song?

We need to examine our hearts and be honest with ourselves. If we re-read this passage in light of such boasting, it is quite sobering and should bring us to repentance. Which, to be true, results in a change in the behavior.

Let’s be honest with ourselves and lay our self-aggrandizements aside.

Do we have to stay the way we are?

I recently was visiting a friend who is very lonely. She has a difficult time with her mom, and much of how she sees life and relates to others can be explained by this. But she is now an adult. She has the ability to leave that behind and to search out truth and reality for herself and to do a paradigm shift, so-to-speak, about how she relates to life and others. She lives for herself and her own comforts. A dead end street. But she doesn't see it. I ache for her.