Bikes and Boasting

Read: Psalm 34:1-3; Jeremiah 9:23-24

“Hey, Joel!” shouted Micah from the other side of the parking lot at school.

“What’s up?” Joel asked as the two of them began to walk toward the school building together.

“I was wondering if you’d like to come to my house after school,” Micah said. “I got a new bike for my birthday, so maybe you could bring yours.”

“Sure, I’ll come over,” said Joel. “My dad bought me a girl’s bike, and we had to paint over the flowers! We worked really hard on it.”

After school they went to Joel’s house and got his bike. Then they went to Micah’s house.

“I present to you, the fastest bike the world has ever known!” Micah said with a flourish. He looked at Joel’s bike and giggled. “Umm…I can still see the flowers you painted over,” he said. “My bike is new, and I bet it’s faster than yours.”

Joel looked down at the ground as he put his helmet on, looking hurt.

Just then Micah’s mom came out of the house. “Micah,” she said, “I’d like to speak with you for a minute. Please come inside.”

“Wait a minute, Joel!” Micah said as he quickly ran inside. He sat down on the couch beside his mom.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“How do you think you were treating Joel out there?” Mom asked. Micah didn’t answer. “You were boasting about your bike, weren’t you?”

“I’m sorry, Mom,” Micah answered. “I’ll tell Joel I’m sorry too, but…I thought you said we could boast about…” Micah’s voice trailed off.

Mom laughed. “You mean we can boast about God. That’s much different than what you were doing. God tells us not to boast about ourselves because everything we have comes from Him, and putting down Joel’s bike and bragging about your own hurt him. But boasting about God and the wonderful things He’s done for us helps us share His love with others. What are some things God has done that we can boast about?”

“Well,” said Micah, “we can boast about God because He is so good and faithful, and because He sent His Son to die for us.”

“Very good,” said Mom. “How about you go apologize to Joel and compliment his bike?”

“Sure,” said Micah. “And no more bad boasting!”

–Emmaline Craymer

How about you? Have you ever boasted about something you own or something you can do? You probably have, maybe even without knowing it. If others have bragged about themselves in front of you, you know how much it hurts. When you put yourself above somebody else, it hurts them. But when you boast about God and the wonderful things He’s done for all of us, you praise Him and reflect His love and kindness to others.

Today’s key verse: My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear of it and be glad. Psalm 34:2 (NKJV)

Today’s key thought: Boast about God