Where does the credit belong and to whom will it be given?
In wars won and wars lost, who is honored and who is blamed? Is it the generals or the soldiers—the leaders or the citizens? In endeavors great and small, there is responsibility and accountability along with either rewards or punishment.
Currently at issue in America’s corporate world is the stunning financial disparity between workers and “bosses”—the CEO’s, presidents and other board members. Often, the complaint is that those most closely associated with the hands-on, day-to-day activities receive the least pay and rarely even the proper credit or a genuine “thank you!”
Carried to other settings and magnified into your own particular circumstances, where do you stand? Do you receive the credit you desire and actually deserve? And more importantly, do you give credit to those who have earned it?
The Way of Christian living sorts these questions out! Here is what Jesus told His disciples:
“…Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, ‘You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many’” (Mark 10:42-45).
Jesus often emphasized this approach, and we find this very direct example in Luke 14:11: “‘For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted’” (Also, compare Luke 18:9-14).
One way in which we can humble ourselves is to make certain that our focus is on Jesus Christ. For if we seek to please Him, to follow His perfect example and to love one another as He instructed, then our lives will reflect the kind of serving humility that exalts and GIVES credit: “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself” (Philippians 2:3).
Here is the answer to the opening question: The credit belongs to Jesus Christ and it has already been given to Him! Note what is recorded in Philippians 2:9-11:
“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
We need to very carefully learn from Jesus Christ the kind of true and selfless humility that pleases God. If we do, then this promise awaits us: “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7).
