30 Days of Birth Pangs - Day 16 Boasters

2 Timothy 3:2 - Boasters... (First, confession time:  Oh, God forgive me, I have been so guilty of this through my life.  I have always been ready to tell anyone who would listen how smart, talented, and successful I am.  I have listened to other people tell their stories simply so I could tell mine.  Until one season, where the Lord had enough of this ugly behavior and took it all away.  I lay in a broken clump with everything about me reduced to nothing.  It was only then that He really began to use me.  It was only then that I began to move in Galatians 6:14.  Derek Web's classic song, Awake My Soul, became my anthem and through the discipline of the Lord, I die daily.... but I'm still cute.  ((Sarcasm... well, sort of))

In the Greek, Boasters is Alazon which means empty pretender or boaster.  Thesaurus.com lists various synonyms including blow hard, braggert, big mouth, know it all, show off, and grand stander.  (Ouch)  Brian Regan is one of the greatest comedians of all time, has a stand up where he called boasters, "Me Monsters", check it out:

As lovers of self, we are naturally inclined to this behavior.  Social media has given us a world wide platform, it is often nauseating.  From my own experience, I was a boaster until the Lord took me down... often boasters have never known failure.  The work of their hands has been so blessed they believe they are indeed better, smarter, and more accomplished.  They believe of themselves that had they been born in Haiti they would have risen above their circumstances and prevailed - they are wrong.  Extreme poverty, hunger, danger, illness is not overcome by force of will alone.  Lacking proper basics in childhood stunts growth and intellect - so boasters believe more highly of themselves.  The bible warns, "Be not wise in thy own eyes." Proverbs 3:7

Boasters have been around since Cain and Abel - perhaps it was Cain bragging to the Lord about his sacrifice that sparked his murderous anger toward his brother.  Cain's sacrifice was one of his own effort as a farmer, while Abel's was a sacrifice of his flock.  Ephesians 2:8-9 clearly demonstrates the principal at work in the story of the original brothers.  "Lest any man should boast."

Our Rapture Index Score for today has to be a 9 out of 10, simply because there are still enough humble people walking around to keep it from maxing out but we are darn close.

Lovers of Self - Day 1 - Rapture Index Score:  10 out of 10

Perplexities of Nations - Day 2 - Rapture Index Score:  8 out of 10

Mass Animal Deaths - Day 3 - Rapture Index Score:  7 out of 10

Revilers - Day 4 - Rapture Index Score:  8 out of 10

Signs in the Heavens - Day 5 - Rapture Index Score:  9 out of 10

Commotions - Day 6 - Rapture Index Score:  7 out of 10

Scoffers - Day 7 - Rapture Index Score:  10 of 10

Vexed Souls - Day 8 - Rapture Index Score:  10 of 10

Greed -Day 9 - Rapture Index Score:  8 of 10

Famine - Day 10 - Rapture Index Score:  8 of 10

Itching Ears- Day 11 - Rapture Index Score:  10 of 10

Rushing to and fro - Day 12 - Rapture Index Score: 10 of 10

Blind Eyes and Hard Hearts - Day 13 - Rapture Index Score:  9 of 10

Brutal Men - Day 14 - Rapture Index Score:  8 of 10

Wars and Rumors of Wars - Day 15 - Rapture Index Score:  9 of 10

Boasters - Day 16 - Rapture Index Score:  9 of 10

Total to date:  140 out of 160 or 87.5%

(The irony of the above picture as that it refused to cooperate within the blog.  Blogger is tricky with pictures and layouts but this guy took up way too much space and kept jumping to the top.)