“We want the ball, and we’re going to score!” How often is that boast thrown back in Matt Hasselbeck’s face? In the first round of the 2003 NFL playoffs the Seattle Seahawks scored with less than a minute to go to tie the game and send it into overtime. After winning the overtime coin toss Matt boldly called for the ball with an even bolder prediction of the result. Well, as history records, his first pass went for a touchdown – for their opponents. It was intercepted and returned for the Green Bay Packers’ winning score. The boast may be the one thing he regrets more than the bad pass.

Poorly timed boasting is not limited to modern American football. It’s as ancient as mankind. Goliath bragged about what he was going to do to David (1 Sam 17:44) but failed miserably when David took him down with one stone (see the previous Morning Minutes in the Bible video: Bragging Or Doing? Goliath and David 1 Samuel 17). Perhaps Matt shouldn’t feel so bad after all. An embarrassing game losing interception is nothing in comparison to what happened to Goliath.

In the days of Elijah and Ahab there was a similar incident with the king of Syria. Syria had surrounded Samaria and, wanting to destroy the city, made a ridiculous demand. Expecting a refusal but getting a yes, they quickly made even more ridiculous demands, and got the refusal they wanted. The king of Syria made a dramatic boast of his plans for Samaria. King Ahab (yes that one) responded with a great line: “Let not him who girds on his armor boast like him who takes it off” (1 Kings 20:11). It was good advice because God still had plans for Israel and won the battle for them (1 Kings 20:13, 21).

The advice is good for Christians too. Think about the bold claims of faith people constantly make. Maybe even some of us have boasted while putting on our armor rather than waiting until we took it off after winning the battle. Paul talked about not having achieved and pressing on while in prison for Christ (Philippians 3:12-14). Only as he knew death was imminent did he “boast” about taking off his armor and receiving the crown of life (2 Timothy 4:7-8). Instead of bragging about what we’re going to do for Jesus, let’s put on our armor and take up our cross daily. And trust God to give us the crown of life when the battle is over.