A Thought for Today
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. – Jude 1:24-25
Glory is defined as “great honor, praise, or distinction accorded by common consent; renown or adoration, praise, and thanksgiving offered in worship.”
We all want glory. We want to be recognized for what we have done or accomplished. When someone recognizes what we have done, it feels good. You get a warm, tingly feeling. You might blush. You try to act embarrassed and treat it like it is no big deal. But at the same time, you are saying to yourself, “Well, it’s about time that SOMEONE noticed!” We crave the recognition, but then act as if it doesn’t matter.
Not receiving praise for your hard work tends to make us bitter. Many hard working people have left groups because no one recognized their efforts. No one said “Thank you”or“You did a great job.” Sometimes we go fishing for the compliment. We wear an award, or put a bumper sticker on our car. If you want to see someone fishing for a compliment, meet a college or professional athlete or coach, and look at their left hand. You will probably see a huge championship ring. They have to work out just to be able to carry that thing around. It is big, gaudy and uncomfortable. And they don’t go anywhere without it. I’ve met most of the football coaches for the University of Michigan. One of them told me that when they go to a young man’s home to recruit him to play football in Ann Arbor, they “load up their hands.” They want the young man and his family to know that if you come to play for Michigan, one or two or three of these rings can be yours. At the football museum in Schembechler Hall, they have a display of every championship ring earned by the football team. Each year’s ring it bigger and more ornate. I asked if they ever thought about having something less flashy made. I was told that if it wasn’t flashy, it wasn’t a championship ring.
When we receive recognition for doing something, we need to thank those who made it possible. We need to thank all of the people who helped us. We need to thank the One who helped us as well. We need to give great honor, praise, distinction, renown, adoration and thanksgiving to God who gave us the abilities, talents and gifts that we used for our accomplishments.
Brandon Cole, an All-American point guard, said “I realize that when I gave my life to God, and when I dedicated everything to Him, it’s no longer my life and none of these awards are mine. It’s all His, and it’s all for His glory.”
When we are recognized for what we have done, we may want to sit and soak up the adulations. We should reflect the glory, like a mirror reflects light, to where it belongs – to God.
Glory is defined as “great honor, praise, or distinction accorded by common consent; renown or adoration, praise, and thanksgiving offered in worship.”
We all want glory. We want to be recognized for what we have done or accomplished. When someone recognizes what we have done, it feels good. You get a warm, tingly feeling. You might blush. You try to act embarrassed and treat it like it is no big deal. But at the same time, you are saying to yourself, “Well, it’s about time that SOMEONE noticed!” We crave the recognition, but then act as if it doesn’t matter.
Not receiving praise for your hard work tends to make us bitter. Many hard working people have left groups because no one recognized their efforts. No one said “Thank you”or“You did a great job.” Sometimes we go fishing for the compliment. We wear an award, or put a bumper sticker on our car. If you want to see someone fishing for a compliment, meet a college or professional athlete or coach, and look at their left hand. You will probably see a huge championship ring. They have to work out just to be able to carry that thing around. It is big, gaudy and uncomfortable. And they don’t go anywhere without it. I’ve met most of the football coaches for the University of Michigan. One of them told me that when they go to a young man’s home to recruit him to play football in Ann Arbor, they “load up their hands.” They want the young man and his family to know that if you come to play for Michigan, one or two or three of these rings can be yours. At the football museum in Schembechler Hall, they have a display of every championship ring earned by the football team. Each year’s ring it bigger and more ornate. I asked if they ever thought about having something less flashy made. I was told that if it wasn’t flashy, it wasn’t a championship ring.
When we receive recognition for doing something, we need to thank those who made it possible. We need to thank all of the people who helped us. We need to thank the One who helped us as well. We need to give great honor, praise, distinction, renown, adoration and thanksgiving to God who gave us the abilities, talents and gifts that we used for our accomplishments.
Brandon Cole, an All-American point guard, said “I realize that when I gave my life to God, and when I dedicated everything to Him, it’s no longer my life and none of these awards are mine. It’s all His, and it’s all for His glory.”
When we are recognized for what we have done, we may want to sit and soak up the adulations. We should reflect the glory, like a mirror reflects light, to where it belongs – to God.
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