Give Credit To Whom It Is Due

[Christ4Ever]

Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, But to Your name give glory, Because of Your mercy, Because of Your truth. Psalm 115:1

Samuel Brengle, a teacher, author, and commissioner in the Salvation Army in the early twentieth century, once responded to an associate’s high praise for his work by writing the following: “The axe cannot boast of the trees it has cut down. It could do nothing but for the woodsman. He made it, he sharpened it, and he used it. The moment he throws it aside; it becomes only old iron. [Oh] that I may never lose sight of this.”

This was not false humility on Brengle’s part; rather it was his sincere reminder to himself that he was a servant, a tool in the hand of the God who had given him his ministry as well as the ability to carry out that ministry. When you train and educate yourself to prepare for what God has for you to do, it can be easy to forget that you are His creation and a mere tool in His hands. To paraphrase Samuel Brengle, “may you never lose sight of this.”

When you accomplish something good—maybe even great—and people around you begin lifting up your name, be sure to thank them for their kind words. But also don’t forget to give glory and thanks to your heavenly Father, who made you and gifted you so that you could glorify Him first and foremost.

 

[Dave M]

Amen to that, all glory to God the almighty !!

 

[JesusIs4Me]

Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, But to Your name give glory, Because of Your mercy, Because of Your truth. Psalm 115:1

Samuel Brengle, a teacher, author, and commissioner in the Salvation Army in the early twentieth century, once responded to an associate’s high praise for his work by writing the following: “The axe cannot boast of the trees it has cut down. It could do nothing but for the woodsman. He made it, he sharpened it, and he used it. The moment he throws it aside; it becomes only old iron. [Oh] that I may never lose sight of this.”

This was not false humility on Brengle’s part; rather it was his sincere reminder to himself that he was a servant, a tool in the hand of the God who had given him his ministry as well as the ability to carry out that ministry. When you train and educate yourself to prepare for what God has for you to do, it can be easy to forget that you are His creation and a mere tool in His hands. To paraphrase Samuel Brengle, “may you never lose sight of this.”

John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

2 Corinthians 3:4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

2 Corinthians 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

1 Corinthians 3:5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

When you accomplish something good—maybe even great—and people around you begin lifting up your name, be sure to thank them for their kind words.

John 3:28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. 29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

They should be lifting up His name in praising Him for His work in you & thru you. So it is probably best you redirect their praise higher since you could not have done anything good without Him.

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

It is not to your glory for your name to be lifted, but the name of Jesus Christ to the glory of God the Father.

But also don’t forget to give glory and thanks to your heavenly Father, who made you and gifted you so that you could glorify Him first and foremost.

Sometimes, I think the story about Samson is about why God does not do a whole lot of great things through us that would tempt us with the foot of pride, and thereby causing us to step out of fellowship with the Father & the Son.

It is easy to get distracted down here in our fallen flesh. I pray He keeps the foot of pride away from me to always redirect praise to me back to Him, because He really did it for without Him, I can do nothing and thus I am nothing.