“Self-seeking is a shameful blot upon Christian profession.  Shall one that has said before God, ‘Behold, I am vile!’ be ready to say before his fellow-men, ‘Come, see my zeal for the Lord! Come, see how humble I am!’  Oh for the self-abased spirit of our glorious Master – ever ready to endure reproach, never seeking his own glory (John 5:41; 8:50). …Surely that we are so little truly humble is matter enough for the deepest humiliation.”

Here’s an excellent inspired proverb for using social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and the like: Proverbs 27:2.  This verse doesn’t use the term “brag” nor does it specifically refer to what we call a “humblebrag,” but the concepts are for sure there:

Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips. (NASB)
Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips. (NIV)
Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips. (NET)

Here’s how Charles Bridges commented on this verse.  I’ve edited it slightly for length and readability:

‘Praise’ – says an old expositor – ‘is a comely garment.  But though thyself doth wear it, another must put it on, or else it will never sit well about thee.  Praise is sweet music, but it is never tuneable in thine own mouth.  If it comes from the mouth of another, it sounds most tuneably in the ears of all that hear it.  Praise is such a rich treasure but it will never make thee rich unless another tell the same.’  Indeed…nothing so degrades a man with his fellow-men as setting out his own praise….

[Therefore] let our works – not our tongues – ‘praise us in the gates’ (ch. 31:31).  And while our works shine, see to it that ourselves be hid.  ‘Confess your faults to one another’ but leave to another to speak our praise (James 5:16).

Our name will lose nothing by this self-renouncing spirit.  If our own mouth is silent, another’s will be opened.  John was ‘unworthy’ in his own eyes to ‘unloose the latchet of his Master’s shoes.’  Yet his Lord’s mouth did proclaim him as ‘the greatest of all that had been born of women’ (Mt. 3:11).  The centurion spoke of himself as ‘not worthy that Christ should come under his roof.’  Yet his elders did testify that ‘he was worthy for whom he should do this.’  Yes, the Savior’s own mouth confirmed the testimony – ‘I have not found so great faith in all of Israel’ (Lk. 7.3, 4, 9).

Self-seeking is a shameful blot upon Christian profession.  Shall one that has said before God, ‘Behold, I am vile!’ be ready to say before his fellow-men, ‘Come, see my zeal for the Lord! Come, see how humble I am!’  Oh for the self-abased spirit of our glorious Master – ever ready to endure reproach, never seeking his own glory (John 5:41; 8:50). …Surely that we are so little truly humble is matter enough for the deepest humiliation.

Charles Bridges, Proverbs, p. 502-3.

Rev. Shane Lems is a minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and serves as pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Hammond, Wis. This article appeared on his blog and is used with permission.