Giving Credit Where Credit is Due

I always get a kick out of watching awards shows or sporting events, somebody wins and the first thing they say out of their mouth is, “I want to thank God”. For many, they see no issue with this, but for me, I find it amusing. I watched Floyd Mayweather Jr. “win” his recent match, and at the beginning of the now famous interview, he says something to the effect of wanting to thank God for making this win possible. So, for those ten seconds of time, he’s thanking God, while for the other cabillion seconds of his life all he says is how great he is. Or when a rapper brags about how they’re getting money, how many women they’re running through, or how good they are but turn around and they thank you God at the beginning of the speech. I’m just using them as examples, but often it’s almost the thing to say. For those of us a little closer to the “chuch” we may say, How blessed we are. Yet in our thinking and the way we carry ourselves, we’ll give God the thanks, but we want to take the credit. A look at me mentality, see what I have done, Many of us are familiar with the story of Joseph. Started out, little bit of a brat; brothers sell him to slavery; he ends up in Egypt; does nothing wrong; end up in jail; interpret a couple dreams; becomes governor. As I was preparing for a couple of services next week, I came across a reoccurring statement from Joseph. Every time it came to interpreting a dream, he would say something like, “Interpretations come from God” or “I cannot do it, but God will give the answer”. He said I’m just the vessel; I’m just the instrument that is being used to display the power of God. Joseph was blessed with a gift, but he always put the attention on the giver of the gift. Joseph was exceedingly blessed in his life, but he realized that he was in the position he was in because of the goodness of his God. To God be the glory.