Scripture: Psalm 115:1 – “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness.”
One of the strange things about the rise of social media is how quickly new words or phrases enter the lexicon. What used to take decades or even centuries now takes a few years or even a few months. For example, in 2010, comedian Harris Wittels made a Twitter handle calling out what he called “humblebragging”, where a person brags about themselves while seemingly being humble. The word is now in the Oxford English Dictionary, and now seems like an archaism to many online.
An example of this would be, “I am such a scatterbrain! I can’t believe I forgot I was picking up my new Mercedes tonight!” The speaker claims, and may actually believe, that they are being humble or self-deprecating, but in actuality they are bragging about their accomplishments. Sometimes this is a form of tone-deafness and other times, it provides a way to brag without seeming arrogant.
One form of “humblebragging” can be thanking God for one’s accomplishments, because it can be difficult to tell if such praise of God is genuine. For example, when an athlete or artist thanks God for winning a championship or an award, and then brags about their abilities and lives a licentious life the rest of the time, it comes off as humblebragging. One might even see this behavior as a form of idolatry, claiming that the work of one’s own hands is something divine.
However, it is possible to honestly attribute one’s success to God. Psalm 115:1 reads, “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness.” King Henry V of England famously sang this psalm after his remarkable victory in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. Henry was known for his piety, so it is possible that he saw God’s hand at work. In this, Henry was echoing a major theme from the Old Testament. In the stories of Joshua or the Judges, God instructs the Israelites to engage in strange tactics so it is clear to all that God, and not human effort, is responsible for their victories. Otherwise, God fears the Israelite warlords and kings will become arrogant and turn away in pride.
Humblebragging can be difficult for some people to avoid, especially when they want to share their pride in their accomplishments while not necessarily trying to rub their success in the faces of others. But as long as one continues to pray to God and thank God for all one’s blessings, one can live a successful and humble life. Just don’t brag about it.
Prayer: Lord, help me be humble and thankful for all that you do for me. Amen.
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