Bragging is inherent to us, humans. We do have that innate craving to attract attention and make impression. It is rooted in our quest for self-recognition, self-importance, search for power and self-centeredness. It usually comes in different forms, various ways and means with buddies, envy and greed.

When I was growing up, a certain sign was predominant in our place: "So That The People Will Know," which was then followed by list of accomplishments and other good things about the person. Later this trend was exploited not only by politicians by those who wanted to promote their  own selfish agenda: to attract attention, to feel important and superior, and other egotistical gestures to satisfy one's self-centeredness.

Perhaps the less we have, the more we have the tendency to brag, boast or blow our horn to compensate our inadequacy and deficiencies. A great man, however, is known and he needs no introduction.

We learn in life that when pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom and honor. True humility is an intelligent self-respect which keeps us from thinking too highly of ourselves or what we have. It makes us modest by reminding us how far we have come short of what we can be.

St. Francis de Sales encourages us to be humble. He once said that the beginning of greatness is to be little; to increase greatness is to be less, and the perfection of greatness is to be nothing.

He said that the world’s idea of greatness is to rule, but Christian greatness consists in serving; that the less there is of us, the more the light shines through; that he who does not stay in his littleness, loses his greatness.

A blameless and respectable person is one who humbles himself if necessity compels him to humble another; who does not praise wealth, look fiercely before power, nor boast of his own possessions or achievements.

He is honorable who speaks with frankness but always with sincerity and sympathy; whose deed follows his word; who thinks of the rights and feelings of others rather than his own; and who appears well in any company, a man with whom honor is sacred and virtue safe.

When I hear some folks blow and brag, I remember the story of the flea who said to the elephant, "Boy, how we shook that bridge when we crossed."  Boasting is seldom associated with real greatness, it only displays immaturity, pride, arrogance and ignorance.

Egotism degrades while showing off depreciates the moral character. It is hard to ignore the display of vanity, boastfulness and arrogance... in what we receive and what we encounter everyday.

It is that spirit of exaggeration, the use of such superlative expressions and the continuous  efforts to brag that lead us to lose sight of the positive and the comparative effect on our dulled senses. We lose the moral sense to such an extent that things which appeared disagreeable to us one time may now seem entirely acceptable because of the power of persuasion.

Sometimes the urge to sing our own praises is so strong that we fail to realize that putting our actions where our mouth is, creates negative, dangerous and unflattering outcome.

As the story goes, two geese were about to start southward on their annual migration, when they were entreated by a frog to take him with them. The geese expressed their willingness to do so if a means of conveyance could be devised.

The frog produced a long stalk of pong grass, got the geese each to grab the end with their beaks, while he clung to it by his mouth in the middle. In this way, the three began their journey as seen in the banner picture. If you look closer you'll see the tiny frog hanging between the two geese.

Some farmers below noticed the strange sight. The men loudly expressed their admiration for the travel device and wondered who had been clever enough to discover it.

Whereupon the arrogant frog opened his mouth to say, “It was I,” lost his grip, fell to the earth, and was dashed to pieces.

Bragging usually has no positive effects; it would not attract any real friends. However, we should not take to mean a sincere and unpretentious effort to share valuable and entertaining information as a way of covering a selfish motive to show off. The Bible encourages us to share our knowledge and wisdom that could touch the lives of others, otherwise they would fade away.

It is when we undertake to set ourselves above anybody by vain conceit that makes us a shipwrecked by laughter and ridicule of others. Truly, he who humbles himself will be exalted; while he who exalts himself will be humbled.

By Tim Pedrosa

Have you observed a rice field and noticed which heads are bent and which ones stand up straight? Well, the empty heads are standing tall and high. The heads that are filled with grains are bending low. Indeed, the true great and strong people are humble and gentle. True giants don't  mind bowing low.