Give Him The Glory!

Have you ever done a really good job at something, so good in fact that people stopped to congratulate you on your achievement? 

Let’s say that you paint a picture that looks amazing. Just beautiful, and looks exactly like the thing that you copied. Now, not everyone is an expert at painting, I know that I certainly am not as my paintings will struggle to rival that of a young child’s, but what makes one person better at painting that someone else? We have hands and fingers just like each other, but some people are just better at certain tasks. Where does this gift come from? I’ll tell you the answer, it comes from God.

It is God who creates each and every person, and bestows these gifts upon those who He grants them, whatever those gifts might be. Some people have a beautiful singing voice, while someone else might not. But at the same time that person who cannot sing the best might be one of the most talented piano players ever. Everyone has their own set of gifts and abilities, but we must never forget where these gifts come from, and Who it is that deserves the praise instead of ourselves. That praise needs to go to the Lord 

There is a passage of scripture in Acts 3, in which Peter had performed a miracle by healing a man who couldn’t walk, and when the people of that city saw this, they looked upon Peter with wonder and amazement. 

Acts 3:1-12 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. 

And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; 

Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. 

And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. 

And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. 

Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. 

And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 

And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. 

And all the people saw him walking and praising God: 

And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. 

And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering. 

And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?

And then four verses later, when speaking about Jesus, Peter said,

Acts 3:16 And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

Peter knew that any miracles or power that he had to perform miracles had been given to him by God, and not of himself. He gave the credit where the credit was due.

As a Christian, we have a duty while on the Earth to serve Christ and to do His will, and we each have been given different gifts and abilities to use to further the name of Christ. That is our mission and our “duty.” And because it is our duty, we should not expect to receive any praise for the things that we do in His service. If any praise is directed towards us, we need to immediately direct it towards Christ. We need to take that spotlight off of ourselves, and direct it to Jesus. 

Luke 17:7-10 But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? 

And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? 

Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. 

So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

A man without the spirit is just that; a man. It is the Holy Spirit working in a person who does the miracles. With the gifts of the Holy Spirit we can do great things, but we can never forget where the ability to do those things comes from. They come from God. Give Him the glory! 

In Christ,

Andrew