Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness. – Psalm 115:1
Who gets the credit? Ok, so if we’re honest, we all like it when someone tells us that we have done a good job. We all like to get complements; words of encouragement has even been deemed a “love language” (5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman). When we receive a complement, or someone tells us that we have done well, we honestly believe we have gotten that credit. However, in humility, we know that anything we have done, is not because of us, but because of the love of God that is in us.
I love the opening reminder found in today’s psalm, for it is not to us, but to the name of the Lord, that all credit, all glory is due. Here, we find that we may have gotten something right, or may have done something well, but it’s only because the steadfast love and faithfulness of God has worked in us and through us. When someone thanks us, or complements us, we should be reminded to turn and thank God for giving us the strength and love to accomplish whatever it was that was done. Believe it or not, there are some who teach that this is not just in the big things, either, but even in the ordinary and the mundane. If something we have done, was done well, it is a reason to give thanks and credit to God.
In his book, Practicing the Presence of God, monk, Brother Lawrence teaches that there is an opportunity to praise God in everything. One of my favorite ideas in that book, is that Lawrence, while working in his monetary, took on every assigned job as if it was to be done for God. If he was washing dishes, then the dishes would be washed to the glory of God; if tending the garden, then tending to the glory of God; if cleaning the lavatory, then cleaning to the glory of God. You get the idea, even in the mundane tasks of life we can give credit, and praise God.
I have done quite a few mundane tasks over these weeks at home. I’ve also found the time to tackle a few larger projects as well. It’s felt good to work with my hands, and do the things that need to be done around the house. It has also been good to hear and offer words of appreciation for things done. Yet, I have to remember that I don’t get the credit. These are things I’ve done out of love, out of a desire to have a tidy house, (Yes, it has been a challenge to instill any type of chore-doing in our children), also out of a desire to add beauty and usefulness to areas in the house. Yet, it is all done for the glory of God. Even if I want the credit, I should remember that the credit is not mine, but God's.
We may reap some of the benefits for the work that we do, but it is not to us that the glory belongs, but to the Lord, who continues to instill his steadfast love and faithfulness into us. May we work all the more for His credit, and for His glory. Amen.
Grace & Peace,
Sam