We live in a sports era of flash and glamour, of celebrations and dancing, of fully produced commitment videos and attention seeking. It seems there is always someone out there trying to one-up the next guy.

With the help of social media, we are always trying to bolster our image, gain a larger following and display all the cool things we get to do in our lives.

I know I am always quick to share and boast on the little adventures Amber and I take living in a foreign country. Or I make sure my friends back home know I put up good numbers the last game since they wouldn’t know otherwise.

Pumping myself up comes so easily and naturally. But if I am honest with myself, I am not the one responsible for these great feats I so quickly take credit for.

The Bible is clear on this:

• Apart from Jesus, I can do nothing (John 15:5).
• Anything good is not created by me, but comes from my Heavenly Father (James 1:17).
• And I certainly have no legs to stand on when it comes to the things that truly matter — correct standing with God, holiness, and the defeat of sin (1 Corinthians 1:30).

What great reason we have to boast in our Lord:

• His willingness to become man, to live and die that we may have direct access to God once again
• His victory over sin and death through His resurrection
• His ever-flowing fountain of grace instead of wrath
• The rest, peace and joy He offers continually
• The daily provision of food and sustenance
• The gift of athletic ability and opportunity to compete
• The breath to live
• And the list continues!

We can’t lift high the name of Jesus if we are busy doing the same with our own! In the end, others need to know His name and what He has done infinitely more than they need to know mine and what I did.

Reflect: What was the last thing I boasted about? How can I pump up Jesus the next time I feel the urge to boast about something I did?

“Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” (Jeremiah 9:23,24).