Giving Without Taking Credit
I see it on the news all the time.
This Celebrity raises awareness for this disease or this war-torn country. That Celebrity couple goes to a foreign country, with cameras in tow, to adopt some poor orphan. This band plays a charity concert for some cause.
We are in a culture and society where we are eager to tell everyone how much we're helping the less fortunate, the environment or even the local animal shelter. My daughter watches the Disney Channel. Everyday I see their "Friends for Change" campaign to promote a healthier environment. Every commercial for it is filled with Disney celebrities.
And I don't blame them for taking credit. It feels good to be patted on the back. It feels awesome to help someone in need. It's fun to be apart of a life-changing event.
As believers in Christ, we have to be careful about that. Why? Because we serve Christ and not our own egos or pleasure.
Ephesians 2:10 - "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
In other words, we give and serve and help others to point the way to Jesus, not to pat ourselves on the backs. We do these things to glorify Christ, not to hog the glory all for ourselves.
That's a hard idea to swallow. We all want to be liked. We all want to be noticed. We all like hearing good things about ourselves. But we have to ask: Why do I give? Is it for me? Is it for Jesus?
If we're honestly serving for Christ, we need to leave the cheers for him. To God be the glory!!
This Celebrity raises awareness for this disease or this war-torn country. That Celebrity couple goes to a foreign country, with cameras in tow, to adopt some poor orphan. This band plays a charity concert for some cause.
We are in a culture and society where we are eager to tell everyone how much we're helping the less fortunate, the environment or even the local animal shelter. My daughter watches the Disney Channel. Everyday I see their "Friends for Change" campaign to promote a healthier environment. Every commercial for it is filled with Disney celebrities.
And I don't blame them for taking credit. It feels good to be patted on the back. It feels awesome to help someone in need. It's fun to be apart of a life-changing event.
As believers in Christ, we have to be careful about that. Why? Because we serve Christ and not our own egos or pleasure.
Ephesians 2:10 - "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
In other words, we give and serve and help others to point the way to Jesus, not to pat ourselves on the backs. We do these things to glorify Christ, not to hog the glory all for ourselves.
That's a hard idea to swallow. We all want to be liked. We all want to be noticed. We all like hearing good things about ourselves. But we have to ask: Why do I give? Is it for me? Is it for Jesus?
If we're honestly serving for Christ, we need to leave the cheers for him. To God be the glory!!
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