Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

 

Everyone has known, or knows, a braggart. We may have different terms for that person, but we know the type. They’re always going on about how great they or their thing is. It’s the one thing they never tire of talking about. They’re never without a conversation starter because they love to talk about themselves, or their thing.

Paul, like most civilized people, didn’t want to be a braggart. He prayed that he wouldn’t be. Except… he made an exception. He wanted to boast in the cross of Christ. Earlier in this passage in Galatians he had been addressing some who were claiming some other method of being made righteous. Their ways involved their own actions. Paul knew we could never be good enough. We needed the cross. So he would boast in what Jesus did.

He would be that guy. He would always be ready to talk about what Jesus had done on the cross. He would be the guy whose every conversation seemed to come around to Jesus sooner or later. He would live in such a way that he was predictable. Others that knew him saw him coming and they would know that they were about to hear about Jesus.

In fact, everything else didn’t just take second place in Paul’s heart and mind. The world was dead to him! He said that the world had been crucified to him! Of course he didn’t mean that he couldn’t enjoy a sunset or a meal with friends. He was just saying that Jesus was number one and there were no close seconds.

Would anyone accuse me of being a braggart for the Lord? Maybe I need to practice my boasting game!

Blessings, 

Pastor Russ