Teach From Love: A School Year Devotional For Families Sample

Bragging Rights

Have you ever met someone who was overconfident? Someone who couldn’t stop talking about how great she was and how much she had accomplished? Confidence is a great quality to have, but too much can turn people away. No one wants to be around a know-it-all or a braggart. This week’s character traits, boldness and fearlessness, are admirable, but without the right motivation or heart behind them, they can be destructive.

The ten Boom family showed boldness. Their courage derived from service to God, not self. David’s fearlessness in the face of a giant came from his confidence that the Lord would help him and his desire to quiet the blaspheming Philistine.

Arrogance, or overconfidence, is often rooted in self: “I want you to know how great I am.” Instead, we should focus on how great God is. As the prophet Jeremiah said in today’s passage, if you are going to boast, boast about the Lord. He is the one who deserves all the glory.

Today, consider:

When was a time you experienced someone who was overconfident? How did that impact you? How can you balance being bold with being overconfident? How does God fit into that process?

Father, help me keep my boldness and fearlessness rooted in you. Thank you for being such a great God.