Vaunteth / Puffed-up

Now if you look at 1 Corinthians chapter 13 and beginning with verse number four, it says, "Charity sufferth long and is kind. Charity or love envieth not. Charity vaunteth not itself. Is not puffed up. Does not behave itself unseemly. Seketh not her own. Is not easily provoked. Thinkketh no evil. Rejoices not iniquity but rejoices in the truth. Beareth all things. Believeth all things. Hopeeth all things. Endureth all things. Charity or love never fails." is what we're doing is we're going through these characteristics of love, each one one by one and talking about them. We talked about love suffers long comes from a Greek word macroia which means to burn long.

Uh the illustration we use that was like a trick birthday candle. You blow it out, lights back up. You blow it out, lights back up. And that's the way love is in any relationship we have. People are going to do something that's going to be like they walked up to us and went and blew out that feeling of love. And we have a choice of allowing them to control us or allowing the the spirit of God within us to control us and light that love right back up and not let not stop loving them because of what they did. It's also the idea of a long fuse that we burn long. We don't get mad easily. We don't get upset easily.

We don't blow up. Uh and uh so macroumia love the sufferth long. It is kind. The word kind means to be useful. Uh what can you do to be useful to that person when they do something? oftentimes what they're doing to you means there's something there's some need in their life. Uh maybe they're angry and the reason they're angry is because they're hangry, you know, and you can feed them and that can help them out, something you can do useful for them and what can I do to be useful to that person in helping them to overcome these things in their life. And then then also goes on to say the love um charity vaunted not itself.

I'm sorry, charity envithth not and that's not jealous. We don't have a there's a good jealousy and a bad jealousy. God is a jealous God. He's jealous for our good. But the bad jealousy wants to hold on and squeeze the life out of relationship not giving them the freedom in that relationship as well. But today we're going to talk actually about two of the characteristics and we're going to put them together. If you look in verse number four again at the end of the verse it says charity vaunteth not itself is not puffed up. Now the word vontth is a word which means to outward. It's an outward word.

It means to brag about who or what you are. Uh you ever heard the saying, if you have it, vaunt it. This is about somebody's really smart and they let everybody know they're smart. This about somebody's really good-looking and make sure everybody knows they're good-looking. You're you're vaunting what you have. Then the word puffed up is more inward. And the puff, the idea of puffed up is trying to look or be more than you are. is when maybe you're not smart, but you try to act like you're smart and you know it all. Maybe you're not the best athlete, but you you brag like you are. Uh they're trying to be puffed up to make themselves bigger than they really are.

So, they're somewhat related, but the first one is they actually do have that characteristic that whatever they're bragging about where the second one they don't really have it, but they're trying to make everybody think that they do. And so I thought, well, what's good illustration of of of love vaunted not itself and is not puffed up? And I thought, well, it'd be good. What would be good illustration is a balloon. You know, if you got a balloon and it's just a an empty uninflated balloon, it's not much of a party, is it? You know, to have just a balloon. Look at my balloon. You know, it's not much of a party with an uninflated balloon.

The Bible says in 1 John 5 and verse number 12, he that hath the son hath life. He that hath not the son of God hath not life. Uh an empty balloon is not fun. And we are empty without Jesus Christ. He that hath not the son of God hath not life. So you have no life. What gives that balloon life is when you fill it up. Turn over your Bibles to Romans chapter 8 and look at verses 8-10. The book right before Corinthians. Romans chapter 8 and look at verse number eight. Romans 8:8. It says, "So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." Then look at verse 10. "And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness."

You see, this balloon is dead without air in it. And but if you put the air inside the balloon, then it has life. And you and I have life when we have Christ. And if we have not Christ, we're dead without him. You see, religion is empty without Christ. Let's go to 1 Corinthians chapter 15. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and look at verses 14-1 17. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and beginning with verse number 14. I myself all also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able to admonish one another. Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you uh in some sort of uh I'm sorry, let me I'm reading the wrong place here.

I'm in Romans. Let's try it again. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and:es 14-17. 1 Corinthians 15:14-17. If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain or empty. And your faith is also vain or empty. Yay. And we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God, that he raised up Christ, whom he raised not up. If so be the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ rise raised. And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain or empty, and you are yet in your sins. You see, without Jesus Christ, our life is empty. Without him, it's vain. It's empty. There's nothing there.

We need Christ. Religion will not fill that need in our life. Religion is vain or empty. You see, in Ephesians 2:8:9, the Bible says, "For by grace are you saved through faith, that not of yourselves is the gift of God, not of works, let's say amen, you boast." You see, we cannot be filled with our good works in order to go to heaven. Trying to be filled with your good works. I've got a couple of balloons here I want to demonstrate that with. And I'm going to need a couple of helpers here as well. And so, let's see if I can get Brendon if you can come on up here. And Trip, if you could come up here, too.

Well, you guys are full of hot air, right? All right. So, I want you guys to blow up these balloons for me. Here you go. Ready? We're going to have a contest. You can blow up faster. Ready? Get set. Turn around. Face the audience here. Get set. Go. Come on. Blow. Come on. Blow. Blow. Get my bill in the balloon. Ah, you guys can't do it. All right. You know why they can't do it? Cuz I cut a bunch of holes in the balloons. All right. But that's what it is. That's the problem. See, if you're trying to be saved by your good works, the problem is you got all that sin like holes in the balloon. No matter how many good works you do, no matter how hard you try to blow up the balloon with the holes in, it's not going to blow up.

And no matter how good works you do, you're not going to be able to get saved. It's not through our good works. It's not through our own righteousness. It's what Christ did for us. Romans chapter 5 and verse number eight. But God commendeth his love towards us. And that while we're yet sinners, Christ died for us. You see, he died for us to save us from our sins. He's the one that provides what we need to get to heaven. Anybody here ever ridden a hot air balloon? Raise your hand. Anybody like that? Oh, one or two people here have. Not too many. My brother-in-law flew hot air balloons and I wanted to go up with him, but I was never in the right place at the right time with the right weather to do it.

But can you imagine getting to a hot air balloon and the air balloon's going up in the sky and you're sitting there going? That would be crazy, wouldn't it? Cuz there's nothing you could do to keep that balloon up in the sky. and and and for you to think that somehow you can do something to get to heaven when Christ has already provided everything what you need to rise up to heaven through his death on the cross. He's already showed his love towards us. He's already provided what we need. You see, it's Christ in you that makes the difference. In Romans chap 10:es 9 and 10, it says that if thou thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in thine heart that God has raised the dead, thou shalt be saved.

For with the heart man believeth under righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Verse number 13. You see, in order to fill up this balloon, I've got to put my mouth to the balloon and and blow. In order to be saved, I've got to confess with my mouth as well as believe in my heart. And so, you need to put you you need to confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ. You need to call upon him as your savior. Uh your balloon is nothing without Christ. It's nothing less is filled. And your life is nothing without Christ unless it's filled.

And you need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. He that hath the son hath life. Now, once you're filled, let me blow up this balloon again. You always knew I was full of hot air, right? All right. Now I got the balloon filled up and and now we got it. But you know what? God wants you to have more than just to have salvation. He wants you to have security because you know what the problem is? Let go of the balloon and it's gone. And a lot of people feel that way about their self. Well, I saved but I I think I sinned and lost my salvation. I was saved but I I don't think I'm saved anymore. You see, God wants you to have the security of that knot.

He wants to make sure you know that you're going to heaven. Ephesians 1:es 13 and 14, it says, "In whom you also trusted." After that, you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. In whom also after that you believed, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption, the burst of possession, and the praise of his glory. See, when God saves you, he ties that knot. When God saves you, he gives you salvation for all eternity. And you and I don't have to hold on. See, if I don't tie that knot in a balloon, I've got to keep holding on to that balloon.

I can't let it go. But God's, you're not holding on to your salvation. You gave your life to Christ, and he is holding on to your salvation. He has tied that spiritual knot. But God, as Christians, God wants us to be filled with the spirit. Now, when you get saved, you get all of the Holy Spirit. you're ever going to get. You don't get just bits and pieces of him. What know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which you have of God? And if you're saved, you have God's spirit. But I wonder does God have you? In Ephesians chapter 5 and verse number 18 says, "And be not drunk with wine whereas in excess, but be filled with the spirit."

Are you filled with God's spirit? You see, when I look out at you right now, I can't tell whether you're filled with the spirit of God or not just by you sitting there. But you know, when somebody's filled with the spirit, you can see it in their lives. Let me give you an example here. Let me grab another couple balloons if I can. As long as my balloons didn't disappear. Let me see if they're in here. One of my balloons is gone. All right. Who took my other balloon? All right. Is this balloon filled with helium or hot air? There's only one way to find out, isn't there? That not hot. That's not filled with healing.

See, it's not filled with hot air. Where'd my other balloon go? Oh, here's one. All right. How about this one? You can see the difference. See, it's filled with the helium. And when you're filled with the spirit, it's going to show in your life. When you're filled with the spirit, it's going to make a difference in your life. And you need to be filled with God's spirit. Go over to Philippians chapter 3:es 9 and 10. Philippians chapter 3 and verses 9 and 10 be found in him not having my own righteousness which is the law but that which is the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith.

In other words, it's not trying to earn my way into heaven by my own righteous, my own works, but because of the righteousness of Christ, what he did for me on the cross that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, the fellowship of sufferings be made conformable unto his death. See, to know Christ and to know his influence in our lives, the difference that he makes in our lives and we need for God to make a difference in our lives. See, without self with ourself, we cannot be filled with the spirit when we're filled with self. In Romans 12 and verse number three, turn over to there. Romans chapter 12 and verse number three.

Romans 12:3, for I say through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly according as God had dealt to every man the measure of faith. See, the Bible talks about vaunting not yourself. And and so often we think, well, look at me. Look how great I am, how strong I am, how good-looking I am, how smart I am. But you know, none of that came to you except by the grace of God. And we need to know that we cannot be filled with the spirit of God when we're filled with ourself. And the problem for a lot of us is we're so earthly bound, we're no heavenly good.

In James chapter 3, turn over there if you would. James chapter 3 and look at verses 13- 18. James chapter 3 and verses 13- 18. Who is a wise man endued with knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and his strife in your hearts, glory not and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descend not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envy and strife there is confusion, and every evil work, but the wisdom is from above, is for pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy being treated, full of mercy, and good tr fruits without partiality, without hypocrisy.

And the fruit of the righteousness is sown in peace of them that made peace. See, the Bible says, listen, the we don't want to live in this earthly bound. We want to we want to be able to soar with the the blessings of God. You ever heard the statement that went over like a lead balloon? See, God God wants us not to go our lives not to be like a lead balloon, but he wants us to soar in Isaiah 40:31. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, and they shall lift up mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint. And God wants to fill you with his spirit.

He wants that spirit to control you and lift you up out of the muck of this world and lift you up out of the problems of this world and and give you a heavenly point of view. But some Christians are also so earth so heavenly minded they're no earthly good. You ever gone to a party and at that party they bring the healing balloons and then you see one of those balloons going off in the sky? You ever watch that? Not much good when it's taking off out way out there in the heavens. And some Christians are so heavenly minded they're no earthly good. In Romans 12:16, "Be of the same mind one towards another.

Mind not high things, but condescended men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits." There's a reason why God left us in this earth. There's a reason why we're not in heaven yet. And God says, "I want you to keep your focus on heaven because that's where you're going." But he also said, "I've left you here on this earth to make a difference. I left you here to have an impact." And sometimes we as Christians can have the holier than now attitude, vaunting ourselves, saying, "Look at me. I'm so spiritual and we're so spiritual, we can't have that impact in people's lives and and and be a blessing to others.

We've lost sight of the world around us. What we need is we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit." In Acts 13:52, "And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost." Now, to be filled with the spirit doesn't mean you get more of the Holy Spirit. means he gets more of you. He gets more of you. H how do you know if you're filled with the spirit? Bible says in James 2:18, "Ye a man may say, thou hast faith and I have works. Show me thy faith by my works. For show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works." I can't see the spirit of God in you, but I can certainly see the influence of the spirit of God in your life.

I can see it in what he does in your life. And we need the spirit to be working in our life. And the Holy Spirit affects everything about who we are. In 1 Peter chapter 3 15- 16, it says, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that ask you a reason to the hope that is in you with meekness and fear, having a good conscience that whereas they speak evil of you, evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ." You see, they need to see it in your life. They need to hear it in your life. I want to use another illustration if this balloon is here.

Let me see if it's here or not. I don't know if there's enough of this in here. It went down. Way down, but I'm going to try it. Tyler, would you come up here? Oh, sure. Tyler's a former member. He was here as a teenager, young man. He's been off to Bible college and ministry and Michigan now, right? Yes, sir. And uh he's over here to introduce your guest with us. Yes. So, this is my fiance, Olivia. All right. Our sympathies. And uh I'd ask everybody in the church be praying for her. But uh Tyler, I want you to youselves now. So I want you to take a big suck of this right here. I don't I'm scared.

Yes. Okay. What? What? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. All right. It I lost most of my helium. You can sit down. My helium went away there. But you know what helium does to your voice, right? You can see it. You can tell that person's been sucking on helium. Folks, can the people at work see Christ in your life? You can't see the helium inside that balloon, but you can see the influence on it. You can see what it does to the balloon. And do the people at your home, the people in your neighborhood, the people you work with, the people you interact with, do they see the Holy Spirit influence in your life? But you've got to be filled with the spirit.

And to be filled with the spirit is not getting more of the Holy Spirit. It's just Holy Spirit getting more of you. Gas will expand to fill the space you give it and just giving him more and more of our lives. Now the Bible also says love vaunted thyself and is not puffed up. The vaunting is I've got it and I'm going to vaunt it to everybody. Puffed up is you don't necessarily have it, but you try to look bigger than you are. Have you ever seen a puffer fish? You ever seen what they do? They puff up big so they can look bigger than they are. And there are people like that trying to look bigger than they really are.

Philippians chapter 2:3, it says, "Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory, but in loneliness of mind, let each esteem other better than themselves." Galatians 5:26, let not let's not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. These are all signs of being puffed up when when we are uh when we are doing things like this, for example, having to make sure everyone knows what you're doing. You ever known somebody like that? Hey, look at me. Look what I'm doing. That's a puffed up attitude. Or putting yourself down, hoping others will disagree. And when somebody says, "Well, I I don't look that good."

You're hoping somebody's going to say, "Yes, you do." When you say somebody says, "I don't think I'm that smart." You want somebody to say, "Yes, you are." It's it's a way of being puffed up because you deserve better and God made a mistake with me. Or puffed up can come across as fault-f finding. People that are puffed up, they're looking for faults in others. They tear other people down to build themselves up. Low self-esteem is a sign of being puffed up often because they see oh feel so low they got to bring everybody down to their level, you know, but love will always find a way to build them up.

They become defensive when you find something out or you know they have this well I knew that already. They they have to be right all the time. They talk about what they're going to do someday and how you and how they could do it better than you. This is puffed up attitude is people who are insecure. Often the biggest braggards are people who are insecure because they're trying to puff themselves up. They they they have insecurities and they don't think they're so great. They're trying to make themselves look better than they are. And you say, "Well, pastor, why is that important?" Because in your relationships, what do you need to do for those people?

You need to help them with that that problem that they have. instead of making fun of them, instead of picking on them or putting them down, you got to understand that they're they're struggling. And often with this person puffed up, it's all talk and no walk. It's pride. Proverbs 16:18 says, "Pride goes before destruction, a hotty spirit before a fall." The word hottie means a self-inflated sense of importance. Often time in our relationships, we're dealing with people who are who are struggling with their self-esteem and they're struggling with their self-image. And the way it comes across is is negative towards us.

And that's what we have to understand. I still got to love that person and help them to overcome that. Go to second Corinthians chapter 1 Corinthians chapter 8 and verses 1-3. 1 Corinthians chapter 8:es 1-3. 1 Corinthians 8 and verse number one. It says, "Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we have knowledge. We all have knowledge. Knowledge puffth up, but charity edifyth. And if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. But if a man love God, the same is known of him." Puffed up. People always are saying, "Well, I know. I know." They they know everything.

When you say, "I knew that already." When you try to tell them something, "I know that," they they they're they're puffed up with their knowledge. In 1 Corinthians chap 10 and verse number 12. 1 Corinthians 10 and verse number 12, it says, "Wherefore, let let him that think you stand take heed lest he fall." The puffed up person says, "I can handle it. I'm different. It won't happen to me." That's puffed up. And so often in our lives, we deal with people like that. You've got some people that are vaunting themselves. They're they have it and they make sure you know it. Then you got other people that really don't have it, but they're trying to make themselves look bigger than they are.

And that's where a lot of our conflicts come in. Whether it's in marriage or family or relationships, wherever they're at. And how do we deal with that? We deal with it through humility. In Colossians chapter 2 and verse number 18, let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worship of angels, intruding to those things which we have he has seen not not seen vainly puffed up by the by his fleshly mind. We get puffed up which things have indeed verse number 23 a show of wisdom and will worship and humility and neglecting the body not in any honor to the satisfying the flesh.

You see, we don't want a false humility. Go over to Galatians chapter 6. Galatians chapter 6 and look at verses 3 and 4. Galatians chapter 6 and:es 3 and four. For if a man think himself be something when he's nothing, he deceives himself. But let every man prove his own work and then shall he have rejoice himself alone and not another. See, one of the challenges that we have is to when we have certain talents or abilities and gifts that are given to us by God, we ought to accept those with grace. And and and you know, I hate it when somebody, you know, is talented and they and they they make light of it.

I was talking to my class this morning. You know, I I one time went up to a lady who was sang a song that was really a blessing to me. And I went up to her and said, "Man, ma'am, that was such a blessing. Your song just spoke to my heart." And she looked at me and says, "I really can't sing very well." And she had done a wonderful song, a beautiful song, a beautiful voice. That was a false humility. It It'd be like you coming up to me and say, "Pastor, what a beautiful shirt you have." And somebody else bought it, gave to me as a gift. I said, "Yeah, it's not much." How would that make the person feel that gave me that shirt?

My talent is not mine. It came to me from God. And when God has given you a talent or an ability, you ought to use it for his glory and for the blessing for others. But understand, it's not you, it's God. Don't vaunt it, use it. But then you got people that are struggling. They don't do well in certain areas. And in our relationship, we've got to love those people and and and and not be puffed up towards them. and and and and to realize that we don't have to we don't have to be somebody we're not but in humility accept my limitations in humility use what God has given me to serve him because the glory has to go to the Lord.

Go to Jeremiah or I'll read to you Jeremiah chapter 9 23 and 24. Thus sayeth the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might. Let not the rich man glory in his riches, but let him gloryth him. Let him that glorithth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord, which exercise loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, sayeth the Lord. You see, we ought to give the glory to the Lord. Whatever I am, it's not because of me. It's because of God's gifts to me. It's because God gave me that DNA.

God gave me those gifts. God gave me that talent. And we need to be willing to humble ourselves. Look at James chapter 4. James chapter 4. And look at verses 6-10. James chapter 4 and beginning verse 6. But he gives more grace. Wherefore he saith God, resist the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double- minded. See, the way to glorify God is through humbling ourselves. I want to turn turn back in the Old Testament, if you would, to 2 Chronicles.

2 Chronicles. Now, 2 Chronicles comes right after 1 Chronicles, which is right after 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings. All right? 2 Chronicles, I want you to go to chapter 34. 2 Chronicles chapter 34. See, when we vaunt ourselves, we're not being humble. Look at me. I'm great. When we puff ourselves up to look bigger, we're not being humble. We're still saying, "Look at me. I'm better than you think I am." But we need to humble ourselves. And what does it mean to humble ourselves? In 2 Chronicles 34, look at verse number 27. He says, "Because thine heart was tender, and now dish thyelves thyself before God, when thou heardest the words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humblest thyself before me, and disren thy clothes, and weep before me, I have even heard thee also, sayaeth the Lord."

Now, this was King Josiah. And King Josiah had to be a very wicked person to have to repent like that for God to forgive him. But, you know, he wasn't. King Josiah was probably one of the best kings Israel ever had. If you were to go and look at verses 1 through three, he was eight years old when he began to reign. And verse two says, "He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord." And then it goes on to tell you in verse number three, in the eighth year of his reign while yet young began to seek after the God of David. Look a little further down to verse number 26 or verse, I'm sorry, verse number eight.

Now in the 18th year of his reign, that means he's 26 years old. When he had purged the land and the house, he sent Chopen, the son of Ael, and Messiah, the the governor of city and Josiah, he sent them out to repair the house of the Lord. I mean, this guy, this kid was from the time he was 8 years old to the time he was 26, was an amazing king doing all the right things. And then they found the word of God and they read the word of God and realized how wicked they truly were. Look at verse number 14. It says, "And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the Lord, Hilachi the priest found a book of the law of the Lord given by Moses."

Then verse number 18, then Shapni the scribe told the king, saying, "Hilachi the priest had given me a book." And Shapna read to before the king, and it came to pass when the king had heard the words of the law that he rent his clothes. See, the problem is sometimes we think the humbling is for everybody else but me. And here is one of the greatest kings ever Israel ever had. that did all the right things, but he also understood I'm still nothing before God. You know, show me somebody who can truly say and incerely say I'm sorry and I'll show you someone knows how to love. Because you know what?

Saying I'm sorry is a big way of humbling yourself, isn't it? Saying I'm wrong is a big way of humbling yourself. Be willing to ask for help as a way of humbling yourself. You know, some people have a way of saying sorry that makes you feel guilty. You ever had somebody like that? I'm sorry. It's your fault, but I'm sorry. No, it is literally humbling ourselves, not being puffed up, not vaunting ourselves. Josiah was one of the greatest kings ever lived and yet he humbled himself before God. In 1 Peter chapter 5 and:es 5 and 6 says, "Likewisewise you younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yay.

In all of you, be subject one to another. Be clothed with humility. For God resists the proud and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God. He may exalt you in due time." What does it mean to humble yourself? He says here, "Be subject one another. Be clothed with humility." The word clothed with humility is literally a word that means to put on an apron. Now, why do you put on an apron? Because you're going to serve somebody. We put an apron on because now I'm here to serve you. We had the Valentine's banquet and a lot of our young adults put on the apron and they were in there serving all the other adults.

And God says to be clothed, to put on the apron of humility because part of humility is serving others. Serving people that vaunt themselves. Serving people that puff up themselves and showing them that love of God. In John chapter 13, you remember the passage where Jesus the last supper and when they came to last supper, one of the traditions in the Hebrew household was that there would be someone at the door to wash everybody's feet. That was usually job for the lowest servant or the youngest child. And none of the disciples wanted to do it. So Jesus put on an apron. He clothed himself with humility and he started washing the disciples feet.

And of course, Peter, he he kind of he said, "No, Lord, you can't do that to me." And Jesus said, "If I don't do it to you, I have nothing to do with you." You got to be willing to accept that help as well. You know, it's just as humbling to wash somebody's feet as to let them wash your feet. You see, God said, "Listen, if you if you believe that I'm God, then do as I have done. humble yourselves. Serve one another. And that's what God has called us to do. Go to Philippians chapter 2. Philippians chapter 2. The guy who baunts himself is look how big I am. The guy that's puffed up is trying to make himself look big.

But you know how you can be bigger? By being smaller. Philippians chapter 2:es 5-9. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. Who being in the form of God thought not Robert to be equal to God but made himself of no reputation and took upon the form of a servant was made in the likeness of men. Being found in fashion of man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, given him a name which is above very name. Because Jesus made himself small, a servant, made himself flesh, God exalted him, made him large.

And that's the way I can be bigger. If you struggle with low self-esteem, it's not going to get better by puffing yourself up and trying to make yourself look bigger than you are. Humble yourself and let God lift you up. If you got talent and ability and thank God for that talent and ability and humble yourself. Acknowledge it only comes from him, not from you. We need to be willing to accept that help from God. So be bigger by being smaller. Matthew 23:112, but he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased and he shall humble himself shall be exalted.

In 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse 6, humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time. John chapter 3 and verse 30, he must increase, I must decrease. What am I trying to say here folks? The way to love people is by humbling ourselves. by being humble about the gifts that God has given us, the abilities, the talents, and realizing that's not me, that's God. And God has given that to me to serve others with way to humble ourselves is not by being puffed up and I know it all and I'm this and I'm that, but it's willing to sometimes even ask for help. and it's willing to help that person that's struggling instead of getting mad at them or condemning them for being puffed up to understand they've got they're struggling with their self-esteem.

You see, we got a big God and God's got a big love to give us. John 13:34 and35, "A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this shall all men know that you are disciples if you have love one towards another. Philippians 1:9. This I pray that your love may yet abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment. Folks, love boss is not self is not puffed up. Love doesn't blow your own horn. You see, you can't blow your own horn. You've got to you got to realize that. You remember the story of the Pharisees in Matthew chapter 6, how they would come and give their alms and their trumpet would blow.

Hey everybody, look at what they're giving. Or how they would pray out in public and everybody say, "Look at how great they are." When you brag on yourself, it's a sign of insecurity. In Proverbs 27:2, "Let let another man praise thee and not thine own mouth, a stranger and not thine own lips." People that brag or talk about themselves need a lot of kindness. If you got somebody in your life that's always talking about themselves and always bragging about themselves, they have a low self-esteem. They need somebody that's going to help build them up to let them know you are something special in God's eyes.

You get frustrated with them, get irritated, but they need your kindness, need you to be useful. If we're going to brag, let's brag on God. In Psalms 150:3, praise him with the sound of the trumpet. Praise him with a sultry harp. Verse 6, let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord. Hebrews 13:15, by the him therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually. That is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks in his name. We need to brag on our God, not on ourselves. I want to close with just a couple verses. Let's go to Philippians chapter 2 again. Look at verses 1-4.

If there be therefore any consolation of Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill you my joy, that you be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory, but in loneliness of mind, let each esteem other better than themselves. Look, not every man his own things, but every man also in the things of others. It's not about me. If you got it, don't want it. Praise God for what he's given you and use it for his glory. It's not about me. If you're dealing with somebody that's constantly bragging and putting you down and all these kind of things, that person needs your love.

They're struggling and they need you to love them. They need you to stop thinking about yourself and think about others. The best way to be selfish is to be selfless. Let me say that again. The best way to be selfish is to be selfless. Matthew 6:25, "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." You want to be selfish? then be selfless. Because when you're selfless, then God's going to bless you. But when it's all about you, you got all the blessings you're going to get. And you're vaunting and you're puffed up. It takes very little to be big. In love relationships, you're going to deal with people and you're going to deal with people that are braggards. constantly talking about themselves, putting you down. And the Bible says you need to love them with God's love. Find a way to be useful to them to help them to turn towards God. Be a blessing. Let's bow our prayer.