1 Corinthians 13: 4
Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag.
Boy, you ought to see the synonyms for this one. Here are some of the ones my computer thesaurus retrieved for braggart: boaster, showoff, bigmouth, loudmouth, windbag and egotist. Interesting, huh? I am especially intrigued by “egotist.” That really is the central problem underlying all of the synonyms. This has a relationship, also, with yesterday’s Word from the Lord. Love is not self-centered therefore, not jealous nor boastful.
How distasteful, really, is a braggart? Is it amplified when we think of love bragging? True love has no reason to brag or boast of itself, or Himself. The love of God is absolute. In fact, it is the most powerful force on earth or beyond. If there was a way for physicists to measure it we would see this truth. God is secure in who He is and in our relationship with Him. He knows that we sometimes reject Him but it does not alter His truth. We can take Father’s example in this. Though a person reject us, we are still safe, secure and loved by our Father. We don’t even have to brag on this unsurpassed love of the Father. It shows. When you have accepted that the heavenly Abba loves you, your face begins to beam with that assurance. You and the Father have an unbreakable link which goes so deeply, even into your cells and tissues, that there is no need for anyone to brag. The joy is in just being in that great a love. Love doesn’t have to brag.
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