Taking the credit
In reading 1 Chronicles 15:25-29 the other morning, I was intrigued by Matthew Henry’s commentary on the passage.
It is good to notice the assistance of Divine Providence, even in things which fall within the compass of our natural powers; if God did not help us, we could not stir a step. If we do our religious duties in any degree aright, we must own it was God that helped us; had we been left to ourselves, we should have been guilty of some fatal errors. And every thing in which we engage, must be done in dependence on the mercy of God through the sacrifice of the Redeemer.
While our human nature quickly looks for someone else to blame when things go wrong, It is tempting to quickly step up and take credit when things go well. Often God uses the seemingly incompetent to accomplish great things, but not always. He uses the quite competent too. We must never let our pride deceive us as to who is truly responsible for our successes.
I have a saying for my own activity. “If it’s good, it’s God. If it’s bad, it’s me.” It is a nice reminder to me and others that I am nothing without him.
from my notebook 