Braggin’ rights…as a Christian do I have braggin’ rights?
Is bragging something a Christian should engage him/herself in? As a child I was always taught that bragging was something I should not be doing, not that it was necessarily immoral but obnoxious if nothing else. After all no one likes a “blowhard” and did not the Apostle ask the question, “where is boasting then? “That is found in Romans 3:27 and he answered his own question by saying, “It is excluded. What he was saying was that salvation (redeeming from sin and it’s consequences which is eternal death) as I said, salvation comes through faith in the grace of GOD; not by anything we can do and the Apostle Paul came to the realization that “a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” In the book of James ch.4 vs.16 he tells us that to rejoice in our boasting is evil in fact he is speaking of those who say “this is what we are going to do today or tomorrow we’ll go into such and such city and we’ll do business there and buy and sell and make a profit” But James says you don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring you; you don’t even know if you are going to be alive or not.
It reminds me of the story Jesus told about the rich man who had his barns full and was scratching his head about what to do concerning his future planning (at the same time patting himself on the back. Suddenly the light bulb lit over his head he had an idea). I know what I’ll do he said, I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger and then I’ll sit back and put my feet up , stick out my chest…after all my barns will be bigger than ever and they’ll hold more and I’ll say to my soul….o.k. soul you’ve got it made for many years
Go ahead enjoy yourself…eat…drink …be merry” As you can see I have taken some liberties with this story but you can understand this message, I know that. In both cases I quoted from …in James and also here in Luke’s gospel ch. 12 vs16-21 , the guy with the “ego” their bragging was in vain in fact James called it evil because in both cases the had not brought God into the picture. Jesus call ed the guy with the barn expansion a fool because although he had made all these plans for this life, he never made any provision for eternity…he left God out. Is there any thing wrong with a business expanding you ask? That’s not what I’M SAYING here. What I’m saying is it’s wrong when we leave God out. I know some wonderful Christian businessmen who put God first and foremost and their business is flourishing. And they are expanding and providing a livelihood for more people. No bragging rights here but giving glory to God.

The Apostle Paul wrote thusly in 1 Cor.1:31 and also in 2 Cor.10:17 “he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” God speaks in Jeremiah 9:24 “But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgement, and righteousness in the earth”
Bragging rights can only be in God all else is evil the Bible says so. If we have something worthwhile in this life instead of bragging about it why not thank God for it? That makes all the difference…it’s our attitude not what we have acquired. Things can be good or bad, and I am referring to material comforts but let’s not glory in them and let’s not put them in a place they shouldn’t be. Brag on God and His goodness always. Nothing else is worth bragging on.
This too is an example of His grace.