MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Proverbs 27:2

“Charity vaunteth not itself
is not puffed up.”

WHAT IS LOVE? (IV)

“Charity vaunteth not itself.” This term “vaunteth” (perpereuetai) describes a person who likes to brag and show off. MacArthur is right to observe that while sinful jealousy “puts others down, bragging, builds us up.” Proverbs 27:2 warns against boasting: “Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.” However, the Corinthian Christians enjoyed receiving the praise of others. They longed for prestige and recognition. Thus, they were all striving to speak in tongues. Even though some of these tongue-speaking occurrences were counterfeit, they boasted about them as though they were authentic. What a farce!

Remember, self-praise is no praise but outright disgrace.

“Charity is not puffed up.” The expression of being “puffed up” has the picture of one being so full of himself that his head goes up in a puff of smoke. We have already seen how the arrogance of the Corinthian Christians led them to be presumptuous in their conduct. Their pride also led them to think that they could excel in ministries which the Lord had not called them to. The result was a church full of strife and division.

On the other hand, we have the example par excellence of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who humbled Himself to come to this world as a man to suffer and die on behalf of sinners. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Phil 2:5-8). May we be humble like Christ!

THOUGHT: The boaster shall have gravel in his mouth.
PRAYER: Father, help me to learn from Christ’s humility.