1 Corinthians 13:4; "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud."
Kindness never elevates self, it always is aware of the needs of others. It is generated by Christ in the soul of every born-again believer.
When there is a lack of kindness, so too will there be a lack of empathy. Kindness and empathy are continual companions.
One cannot have empathy if there is no concern for kindness. Kindness deeply embedded in the soul by Christ will generate empathy without having to try to have it, it is like breathing, one does not have to work it up, it is automatic without a need to think about it.
As with all the fruit of the Spirit of God, the born-again believer thinks all the time in godly terms. Because they have the mind of Christ they operate from their natural God-given bent, that is His love, kindness, judgment on evil, distaste for sin, desire to walk in righteousness with others who also have this desire.
Those who love Christ are satisfied with pleasing Him, they feel no need to gain the approval of others by boasting about themselves.
Do We Believe God's Word or Do We Seek Self?
Jeremiah 9:23-24
23 This is what the Lord says: “Let no wise man boast of his wisdom, nor let the mighty man boast of his might, nor a rich man boast of his riches;
24 but let the one who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises mercy, justice, and righteousness on the earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord."
James 4:16-17
"16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.
17 So for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, for him it is sin."
Psalm 10:2-4
"2 In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the needy;
Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.
3 For the wicked boasts of his soul’s desire,
And the greedy person curses and shows disrespect to the Lord.
4 The wicked, in his haughtiness, does not seek Him.
There is no God in all his schemes.
Psalm 75:4-5
"4 I said to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’
And to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up the horn;
5 Do not lift up your horn on high,
Do not speak with insolent pride.’”
False Teachers Love to Boast
Jude 16
"16 These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage."
2 Peter 2:18-19
"18 For, while speaking out arrogant words of no value they entice by fleshly desires, by indecent behavior, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error,
19 promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what anyone is overcome, by this he is enslaved."
There are many believers who are slaves to their own lusts and boasting. It doesn't all look like immorality but takes on the appearance of superiority. Their boasting is their lust for power over others. Their insincere flattery and humble bragging give them away but they do not see it.
These people do not steal, rape, murder or any other big sin that others can clearly see. The sins they commit are sins of the heart deeply committed to their own aggrandizement. They appear pius but when no one is looking they are demeaning those who have exposed their sin of pride.
Just as the Pharisees walked among the people parading themselves as righteous but on the inside they were walking deadmen, full of themselves.
Matthew 26:5-7 "…5 All their deeds are done for men to see. They broaden their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. 6 They love the places of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues, 7 the greetings in the marketplaces, and the title of ‘Rabbi’ by which they are addressed.…"
The yeast of the Pharisees was hypocrisy. They paraded themselves in the streets showing off how good they were but inside they were treacherous and hateful.
Placing burdens on those who desired to walk godly in order to be superior to them, the Pharisees mocked God through the guise of self-righteousness. They judged others who had been forgiven in order to elevate themselves. They were deeply resistant to correction or rebuke. In other words, their pride in how good they thought they were, dominated all their thinking. Being elevated above others was their primary concern, not their heart condition which was back.
There are many people who boast of all their exploits that seem just happy fun experiences, but in fact, they are done to elevate themselves.
Notice that those who play a lot cannot come home from their playing without boasting about it to others. The play does not satisfy unless they can brag about it to others.
Good works that are done by the Holy Spirit satisfy so fully that there is no need to speak of it to anyone else. One might share with a trusted friend what God is doing but they do not boast in their own good deeds, they are satisfied with the fullness of God in their soul even if no one else knows of it.
When a person is full of the Holy Spirit God always gets the glory for all that happens in their life. He is the focus, not self.
Psalm 27:1-2 1 Do not boast about tomorrow,
For you do not know what a day may bring.
2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;
A stranger, and not your own lips."
Matthew 6:1-2 “Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2So when you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward."
Matthew 6:5
And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.
Matthew 6:16
When you fast, do not be somber like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.
Matthew 23:5
"All their deeds are done for men to see. They broaden their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels."
When those who have a play mentality become born-again they lose their desire for adventures merely for the sake of fun and boasting.
The born-again believer may have times of enjoyment but they are not consumed by it, nor does it satisfy their soul. The closer our walk with Christ the less we desire adventure other than what Christ brings for His service. And, believe me, when we are walking with Christ the smallest things feel like an adventure to us, we need not manufacture useless adventures to feel full and satisfied.
A person can be gluttonous when their life is consumed with adventure and pleasure-seeking. Gluttonous about adventure and pleasure is just as soul diminishing as gluttony over food. There are more ways to be gluttonous than just overeating.
Have you heard the phrase "he was a glutton for punishment", meaning the fool keeps doing what ruins him but is too silly to see what he is doing.
Those who seek pleasure tend to be very uncomfortable around the simple folks who just live and love their existence with Christ. They are thrilled with an answered prayer or a word from Him Who dwells in them. Growing in wisdom is far more desirable than any thrill-seeking adventure.
May the Lord remove from the believer's heart the desire and need for worldly adventures.
1 John 2:15-17
"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."
