“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud” (1 Corinthians 13:4).
My mother used to play a card game with friends every week when I was a teenager. I used to hear their conversations when I came home from school. It was fun to eavesdrop, because most often they were talking about their children who were young people I knew.
The women would boast about their daughters’ grades, their beauty and the number of their boyfriends. They would compete with stories about the universities their children attended and how popular each child was.
My mother was quiet. Here is why:
The Bible says that the only person really safe to boast about is the Lord. He is the only one who will never disappoint us. He is the only One who will always live up to our expectations.
Everyone is human, and subject to failure. Some of these girls broke their parents’ hearts because they didn’t live up to their expectations.
If we really love our friends, we should control our boasts in front of them. It could stir their hearts to envy and put pressure on them to make changes so they can boast back to us.
King Solomon said in Proverbs 27:1, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.”
It is true, we don’t know, do we?
Kimberly Snider is a missionary to the Philippines.
From “Moments for Moms,” a free email subscription.
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