Credit Belongs To God
No, O people, the LORD has already told you what is good, and this is what he requires: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. -- Micah 6:8
The discussion was pointed as we explored the difference between doing good in secret and announcing your good deeds publicly. Can a person ever truly do good without anyone else knowing? And should they? What is wrong with taking credit for the good you’ve done?
A man who does good things got quite upset. There’s nothing wrong with being prideful when you do good things, he said. I let it go. I understood where he was coming from. I did. He was wrong. The use of the word “prideful” said it all. But God doesn’t need me to tell him that. I know that at some point in time, God will let him know.
The dictionary defines pride as a feeling or satisfaction in one’s actions or possessions. The Bible defines pride as sin. The problem with pride is that it tends to negate God’s power and provisions, as the prideful person takes credit that doesn’t belong to them.
Think about it. You’re able to make a generous financial contribution to a homeless shelter. You want credit because you didn’t have to give your hard-earned money to anyone. But you’re forgetting that you had the ability to make that donation because God provided for you financially. Lots of people work just as hard as you do and don’t have that kind of money. Giving credit to God simply means you recognize that God provided you with the resources and gave you the heart to give.
We should feel good about ourselves when we’re walking in the path God set out for us. But we should also recognize that all we have comes from God. Everything. It is our responsibility as Christians to use all we have, everything He’s given us, for His glory. His glory. Not our own. His. That path has no room for pride in self, no matter how good the intentions or the deed.
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