BOAST - verb- talk with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about one's achievements, possessions, or abilities:  noun - an act of talking with excessive pride and self-satisfaction

There can be a certain measure of satisfaction in speaking of one’s achievements in life.  It is especially gratifying to make comparisons and feel like one is coming out on top in such a situation.

When I was a boy, about ten years of age, I could ride a wheelie around the block on my ten-speed bike and change gears while doing so.  I boasted of such an accomplishment as a boy.  As a boy, I was also a pretty good baseball player, earning MVP one year.  I boasted about that as well.

There have been many things for which I would boast through the years.  But there are plenty of things for which I cannot boast.  My salvation and relationship with God is a major one.

I had nothing to do with my salvation, and I do nothing that adds to it or helps maintain it.  It is all of Him, and it is all based on the obedience of Jesus Christ.  My relationship with God and my ability to refer to Him as my Father is all because of Jesus, and I make my boast in Christ.  I find it healthy to be often reminded of such a truth.

Ephesians 2:4   But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Any desire and effort in good work that I do now in life is attributed to the creative work of Christ.  Jesus made me a new creation, and because of Jesus, I am seated in the heavenly places with Him; I am evidence of the incredible great mercy of God and exceeding riches of His grace by His kindness towards me simply because I am in Christ.  There’s no other reason for the kindness of God towards me.  I did nothing to earn it.  I cannot do anything to advance it or to increase it.  His kindness towards me is fixed based on Christ Jesus, and therefore, I make my boast in Christ!

I do not base anything positive in my relationship with God on what I do for Him.  I have learned that the credit for goodness, kindness, mercy, and grace belongs to Jesus alone.  I am happy to give Him all the glory for my amazing blessing in belonging to the Father through knowing Jesus and being made new in Christ.  This gift of revelation from the Holy Spirit maintains my constant closeness to Him and my awareness of His presence in my life.  It is all because of Jesus!  To Jesus be all the praise!