Nothing Special

Another quiet morning to do my quiet time.  Wow!  This is great.

A quick little section today, but a good reminder nonetheless.  1 Corinthians 4:7 says "For who makes you different from anyone else?  What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?"

It is so easy to get caught up in ourselves, or our children.  It is easy to think you are great at something or above-averagely talented at something else.  It is nice to do something well.  It is even better to do something well and be recognized for it.  But none of this counts unless credit is given where credit is due.

We are "so very ordinary, nothing special on our own" (as a popular Christian song says).  But God does give us talents and gifts to use for His glory.  The thing is, if we aren't using them for His glory and giving Him the glory for giving them to us, our talents become useless.  They fall on blind eyes, deaf ears and unreceiving hands. 

Oh yes, many extremely talented people use their talents every day, get a great deal of attention and make extraordinary amounts of money.  But where does that get them in the end.  No one can hear, see or receive your talents in Hell.  The devil has no crown of glory with treasures stored up for you to wear in the fiery furnace. 

A great example of a simple man who is nothing special on his own has risen to the forefronts as of late.  He had been mocked as not good enough. Scrutinized at his ability to do his job.  But he never listened to the criticism, he gave 100% no matter who was watching, what was being said, or how he was being made fun of.  He gave all the credit to the Lord and didn't hold back what he believed no matter what it would make him look like.  And what do you know, that quarterback rose from the scrutiny and brought his team pretty darn far in the playoffs.  Farther than anyone would have ever imagined in the beginning of the year.  Yet, Tim Tebow is still preaching that it is all from God.  That it is all in His plan.  And that he is a follower of Jesus Christ.  This man is a living example of being ordinary and nothing special on his own, but using some God-given talents to bring God and extraordinary amount of glory.  How many people have heard about how amazing God is in the last few months because of this simple little boy who followed God into manhood. 

A lesson, from which we could all learn.  And, no, I will never be on national television due to the talents God has given me (which is way more than OK with me).  But why is giving the credit for my talents to God in front of my little community any less important?  Every soul saved for Christ is another person to rejoice with in heaven.

So don't hold back.  When someone tells you that you did a great job, tell them how you did it.  Only by the gifts you were given and the grace you have received.

Father, I know the talents you have given me may seem pretty insignificant to me sometimes,but I know they were meant for greatness.  Your greatness.  They may never be seen all at once by thousands of people, but that doesn't mean what you have given me isn't meant to be shared for your glory to those around me. Let me see my successes only as yours. Help me remember to give you all the glory in any and every situation where the opportunity may arrise.  Thank you for trusting me with these gifts and I pray that I will be able to use them in a way that gives you praise.  Help me pass this message on to my children at an early age so that it is something second nature to them.