GIF Proud or Pleased?

“Who regards you as superior? And what do you have that you did not receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?”
(1 Corinthians 4:7)

Proud or Pleased?
by Larry Burkett

There was a time when I found it difficult to accept that everything I possessed was not a direct result of my hard work and superiority. I often observed those who had less than I did, and I concluded that their lack was because they didn’t work as hard as I did.

On the other hand, I looked at others who had more and calculated that I needed to work harder and become wiser in order to have what they did.

After reading today’s Scripture verse I had to change my thinking.

Consider the farmer. He prepares the ground and plants and waters the seed, but God gives the increase. To say that the farmer grew the crops would be incorrect. He only harvested the crops that God grew. There’s no question that the farmer had to be faithful in doing his part; however, the farmer can’t boast in the crop that is harvested. He can only be thankful that God blessed the work of his hands.

Don’t discount your efforts completely, though. Faithfulness is required. God doesn’t honor slothfulness; He honors faithfulness. And the most significant thing about faithfulness is that even the most untalented or unskilled person can be faithful.

Pride says, “Look what I did.” Humility says, “Look what God did through me.”

Father, thank You that everything good and perfect comes to us from You, the Creator of all things.

Daily Scripture Reading: 

2 Kings 25:2-21
2 Chronicles 36:17-21
Jeremiah 37:3-39:10, 52:5-30