Part of Paul’s descriptions of love in 1 Corinthians 13 include prohibitions from arrogance and boasting. These are self-exalting and others-demeaning characteristics. However, if we’re seeing ourselves as slaves of Christ, acknowledging that anything we have that is of any value was graciously given to us by God, boasting only in who God is and what Christ has done and realizing that exalting ourselves puts us in opposition to Almighty God, then how would we possibly be spending time comparing ourselves to others and then communicating the favorable results of our comparisons to others?
And we must be aware that these anti-love characteristics begin in the heart and as the heart speaks self-exalting things to ourselves, we swell up with pride until what is inside spills out of our mouths. Thus, the primary battle is NOT to make sure you don’t sound like a braggart to others, but that you don’t coddle self-exalting thoughts in your hearts about anything in your life. You may be top dog at work or you may be extremely gifted at a skill or sport or maybe you have a personality that others gravitate towards. No matter what the cause, what do you do with the praise and recognition you receive from others? Rehearsing that praise in your minds and allowing it to make you feel good about yourself will cultivate pride in your life. Then you have a hard time receiving a rebuke from those who know you, because in your mind, these other people who are praising you are much more in tune to the true you, so for others to point our faults is an indictment on them for not recognizing that they are standing in front of true greatness!
But love is sacrificing oneself for the good of others in such a way that Christ gets the glory.