Pro 27:2 | KingComments | STEP | He who boasts “about tomorrow” ( ) greatly overestimates himself. To “boast” about tomorrow means that a person believes he has the ability to shape the future to his liking. But no one knows “what a day may bring forth”, that is, what a day will bring. This applies both to what can happen today and to tomorrow’s day. The future is God’s territory. Man has no disposal over it. Recognizing this will humble us. It will lead us to submit all our future projects to Him, the sovereign God, Who directs all things. Making plans is not wrong, as long as it is done in humility. Making plans as if we ourselves have full disposal of our fate and power over the future does not suit us ( ). The Lord Jesus makes this clear in a parable of a rich fool who planned to live many more years, but died the next night because God required his soul ( ). The proverb contains other teaching. We can learn from this proverb that we need not worry about tomorrow ( ). We do not know if worries will still be there tomorrow. And if they will still be there tomorrow, God is also there to assist us. Another application is that we should not postpone until tomorrow what we can do today. This is especially true when it is about the conversion of a person. Then the call is: “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” ( ). If conversion is postponed until ‘tomorrow’, ‘tomorrow’ has become a day in the calendar of satan that can be prolonged indefinitely ( ). connects to . says that a man should not glory in what he will do tomorrow, or in the future. says that a man should not boast (the same Hebrew word now translated “praise”) in himself, on what he has done today or yesterday (or in the past) or how he is. It is good to do things worthy of praise ( ), but it is not good to boast yourself of them. Praise is like a nice-fitting coat. You may wear it as long as another person puts it on you and not you yourself, otherwise it will not be comfortable for long. If other people praise you, that is good. If you praise yourself, that is a form of pride. The Dutch proverb ‘self-boast stinks,’ reflects this well. It is a common proverb, which makes it clear that even worldly people generally do not appreciate someone who speaks highly of his own achievements. We can be thankful for a result achieved by us and find our joy in it. God looked upon His work of creation and saw that it was very good ( ). However, there is a difference between us and God. God finds all satisfaction in Himself; we find it only in Him. He gives us the ability to do a certain work. When we have done something, we should say that “we are unworthy slaves; we have done [only] that which we ought to have done” ( ). Appreciation comes from the Lord. He says to each one who has served Him faithfully, “Well done, good and faithful slave” ( ). The boast about ourselves is never objective. When we boast of ourselves, we greatly overestimate ourselves. When the Lord assesses us, it is an absolutely objective assessment. In this sense, His assessment corresponds to that by “another” and “a stranger”. Hypocritical elements play no role. It is praise without any ulterior motive.

‏ Proverbs 27:2

To Boast Wrongly

He who boasts “about tomorrow” (Pro 27:1) greatly overestimates himself. To “boast” about tomorrow means that a person believes he has the ability to shape the future to his liking. But no one knows “what a day may bring forth”, that is, what a day will bring. This applies both to what can happen today and to tomorrow’s day. The future is God’s territory. Man has no disposal over it. Recognizing this will humble us. It will lead us to submit all our future projects to Him, the sovereign God, Who directs all things.

Making plans is not wrong, as long as it is done in humility. Making plans as if we ourselves have full disposal of our fate and power over the future does not suit us (Jam 4:13-16). The Lord Jesus makes this clear in a parable of a rich fool who planned to live many more years, but died the next night because God required his soul (Lk 12:16-21).

The proverb contains other teaching. We can learn from this proverb that we need not worry about tomorrow (Mt 6:34). We do not know if worries will still be there tomorrow. And if they will still be there tomorrow, God is also there to assist us. Another application is that we should not postpone until tomorrow what we can do today. This is especially true when it is about the conversion of a person. Then the call is: “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Heb 3:15). If conversion is postponed until ‘tomorrow’, ‘tomorrow’ has become a day in the calendar of satan that can be prolonged indefinitely (Acts 24:24-27).

Pro 27:2 connects to Pro 27:1. Pro 27:1 says that a man should not glory in what he will do tomorrow, or in the future. Pro 27:2 says that a man should not boast (the same Hebrew word now translated “praise”) in himself, on what he has done today or yesterday (or in the past) or how he is. It is good to do things worthy of praise (Phil 4:8), but it is not good to boast yourself of them. Praise is like a nice-fitting coat. You may wear it as long as another person puts it on you and not you yourself, otherwise it will not be comfortable for long.

If other people praise you, that is good. If you praise yourself, that is a form of pride. The Dutch proverb ‘self-boast stinks,’ reflects this well. It is a common proverb, which makes it clear that even worldly people generally do not appreciate someone who speaks highly of his own achievements.

We can be thankful for a result achieved by us and find our joy in it. God looked upon His work of creation and saw that it was very good (Gen 1:31). However, there is a difference between us and God. God finds all satisfaction in Himself; we find it only in Him. He gives us the ability to do a certain work. When we have done something, we should say that “we are unworthy slaves; we have done [only] that which we ought to have done” (Lk 17:10).

Appreciation comes from the Lord. He says to each one who has served Him faithfully, “Well done, good and faithful slave” (Mt 25:23). The boast about ourselves is never objective. When we boast of ourselves, we greatly overestimate ourselves. When the Lord assesses us, it is an absolutely objective assessment. In this sense, His assessment corresponds to that by “another” and “a stranger”. Hypocritical elements play no role. It is praise without any ulterior motive.