“So the king of Israel answered and said, “Tell him, ‘Let not the one who puts on his armor boast like the one who takes it off.'” ~ I Kings 20:11
REFERENCE:
Men often fall into the trap of measuring themselves by wealth, success, intelligence, possessions, might, or physical and mental prowess. It makes them compare themselves to other men, believing they are much better and fare better than them. If caution is not applied, the spirit of pride seeps into their heads, leading to empty boasting.
King Ben Hadad had many military victories under his belt. He was now surrounding Samaria with a large entourage of soldiers, ready to plunder and pillage the city. Israel was a small nation, so decimating it would be easy. He told the king that if he didn’t want war, he should give him all his silver, gold, children, and loveliest wives. King Ahab agreed. Ben Hadad later asked for all the valuables of the noblemen, which Ahab refused. This response stirred up pride in Ben Hadad.
In his pride, Ben Hadad boasted that he would reduce Samaria to dust. But Ahab’s message to him is instructive; “Let not the one who puts on his armor boast like the one who takes it off.” You don’t celebrate your victory just when you are dressing to go to war; instead, you do it when taking off your armor. Doing so shows pride; it is an empty boasting and premature victory celebration. It leads to a fall because it is born out of pride and delusions of grandeur.
Most athletes and footballers have unique ways of celebrating their wins or goals – Ronaldo, Usain Bolt, Mbappe, Vinicius Jnr., etc. Sometimes, athletes celebrate prematurely, which has proven costly. Slovenian cyclist Luka Pibernik got to the finish line and raised his arms triumphantly. Sadly, the race was not over; there was still another lap. After 31/2 hours of arduous cycling, he got exhausted and eventually slipped from 1st place to 148th.
Ahab advises Ben Hadad: “You can’t talk conclusively about a matter that has not happened. Only God can speak authoritatively of outcomes before an event takes place. It is unwise to hold a victory parade when you have not even shot an arrow nor entered the field of battle.”
So, be careful of boasting and premature celebrations. God controls the future; humbly trust Him to take you to your ‘finish line’ and to establish your victory in the battles of life.
PHOTO QUOTE
ADDITIONAL TEXTS:
II Corinthians 10:12-13, James 4:13-16, and Proverbs 16:18
PRAYER:
+ Lord rid me of every spirit of pride and useless, empty boastings.
+ Lord, I find my essence and definition in You, not in human achievements or ability.
+ I will celebrate at appropriate seasons, having put in the required work.
