Glory in this

Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight," says the LORD. – Jeremiah 9.23-24

Wise men should not glory in their wisdom. Mighty men should not glory in their might. Rich men should not glory in their wealth.

Of course when I read this my mind is drawn to 1 Corinthians 1 where we read:

 ‘For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;’

There is clearly a temptation for those who are wise and mighty and noble to think that, when something is accomplished, it was accomplished at least in part, because of their ability. It is only natural.

Paul just builds on this verse in Jeremiah when he wrote to the Corinthians. Because the wise man has to be told not to glory in his wisdom or the mighty man to glory in his might Paul says that God doesn’t often use the wise and mighty and noble because it is too easy to give them the glory.

So God uses people like you and me. I am so blessed by this. I don’t have to be strong. I don’t have to be wise. I don’t have to be rich. I don’t have to be nobility. I just have to be me because when I am me it is obvious that whatever I do is being done by God and He is the only to whom glory may be given.

God delights in us knowing Him. That is all we can glory in, not in we are or what we do, but because we understand and know Him. He deserves all the glory because He exercises lovingkindness and judgement and righteousness in this world. No man, no matter how rich or strong or mighty can do that – so let us give all glory to Him!