What Credit Can I give Away?

The question I want you to think about today that I believe is good for your relationship with others and God is: What credit can I give away?

The “selfie” industry is booming. Think about it.

Self-care.

Self-help.

Self-worth.

Self-aware.

Self-talk.

Self-love.

Self-healing.

Self-defense.

Self-employed.

Self-improvement.

Self-leadership.

But I think we have to be cautious with how many selfie conversations we have. By constantly being in selfie mode, we run the risk of becoming self-absorbed. What is even more dangerous than being self-absorbed is actually believing we’re self-made. This is a selfie that is often coveted and even celebrated.

It's easy to make our lives about our selfies. It's easy to make our relationships about what's in it for us. When things are going well, we all want to take the credit, and when things are going bad, we all want to place the blame. But what's good for our soul is looking for someone else to praise and give credit to. Some people think they have something to lose by giving someone else credit. Maybe someone else will get promoted instead of them. But in all reality, what you lose when you give away credit is . . . nothing. What you gain when you give it away is respect. How good does it feel when you are seen and valued and when your contribution is brought to the table? How awesome does it feel to work for, work with, or be married to the person who gives credit away? We all love being around those people, and, at some point, we have to decide to be that person.

Paul, an apostle of Jesus that wrote a significant amount of the New Testament, had to settle a dispute in the church at Corinth. Young Christ-followers were flaunting their affiliation with influential leaders, and Paul reduced the issue with this statement -

'For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. What, then, is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. '

1 Corinthians 3:5-9

At some point, you have to get to a place where you can think; I don’t need to be that impressive. I don’t need to be hailed, esteemed, or adored. It’s not about me anyway! I surrendered my life to Christ, who will take care of all the “self-???” areas of my life. It is better to work with, support, and build up the team or the people in my life who God uses for His purposes.

Philippians 2:3 says, "Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves."

We all love being on the receiving end of a person who acts like that, but we should aim to be on the giving end of that kind of lifestyle.

Prayer

Lord, help me to see others how you see them. Help me to think of others more than I think of myself. Would you reveal to me someone this week to whom I can give away credit and show appreciation?

Amen