Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, had to combat–among other things–the arrogance of the false teachers who had infiltrated the congregation. They had sought to discredit Paul’s credentials and thus his Apostleship, forcing Paul to defend his record against them. In so doing he makes this statement:

Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?
If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.

2 Corinthians 11:23-30

Of particular note is how this quote begins, with Paul saying “I speak as a fool.” What he means is, because he is about to spend a lot of time talking about all that he endured for Christ he was going to have to talk a lot about himself. So what, you might say. Well the Greeks had the idea that a person who only talked about himself must be an unlearned (fool) person. Since the Greek culture thrived on philosophical musings and long-winded interactions among its citizens, a person who only talked about himself, they would assume was a person who didn’t know a lot about anything else.

So Paul ended his soliloquy by saying “If I must glory I will glory in my infirmities.” In other words he says “these false teachers have forced me to defend myself, making me look foolish in your culture. If I have to talk about myself I would rather discuss all the things I happily suffered on behalf of Christ.”

As the title of this devo says, when you brag you end up achieving the opposite effect you desired,. Instead of making yourself look great, you end up looking quite unknowledgeable.  If you must give a resume or be forced to defend yourself, why not focus on what matters most: Your life in Christ. What have you done for Him? How have you suffered for Him? That’s one way to keep an arrogant heart in check.

Think about it,
have a great day!