following the example of Jesus as a woman today {giving up the credit}

Last week we talked about following Jesus in today's culture by not seeking to make ourselves seem beautiful to the world.  That is one of the places I feel that we as women are really obviously torn between the two worlds of the flesh and the spirit. We want to serve God with all of our hearts, but our carnal body seeks it's own interest, and it always goes back to the horrible sin of pride.

What is important to remember is the lesson we learn from Jesus over and over again: we can't serve two masters- we will hate one and love the other.  We can't serve both ourselves and our Father. So many times, we see Jesus doing the will of His Father, not His own will. He shows us how to serve our Lord selflessly so perfectly! :)

And we see the selflessness of Jesus in the second way we can be like him as women today:

Jesus did not seek the credit for what He did.

When we look back at the life of Jesus, over and over again in His ministry He did the opposite of what the rest of us would do: when He did amazing things, He didn't want to be recognized for them.

Even from His very first miracle, He let someone else take the credit for what He did. The master of the feast thought the bridegroom had provided the awesome wine Jesus had transformed.

He didn't show off His miraculous ability in front of the important people at the feast, or drop hints that it was really His doing. Only the servants and the disciples knew what an amazing miracle He had done.

Does this seem crazy to you? He didn't care about getting the admiration of others.

Would it be hard for you to let someone else take the credit for something amazing you did? Let's work it out in today's culture:

Imagine you had this really creative decorating idea and you told your friend about it, and before you could do it, she does the very thing and posts it on Facebook. She never mentions your name or that it was your idea, and all of your mutual friends ooh and ahh over it in the comments telling her how creative she is.

Would that upset you? I know it would me. It's because we love the acknowledgement of others. It's that ugly pride again.

This is so hard! I think it's especially hard for bloggers and writers, don't you? We want the link back. We want the credit for the work we've done. It's understandable, right? ;) {That's what our flesh says, anyway...}

But what Jesus tell us to do is incredible to me. Jesus says if someone wants something from you, let them have it and give them even more than they asked for. And don't seek the credit for your works. Do them in secret, even!

Jesus even reminds us of this in Matthew 6:

Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 

Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

He tells us to not seek our own credit, and He lives it out for us.

Give. Do good things. And don't do them for show. Do them for your Father. Don't seek your own credit, because that will be your reward. 

It goes against everything in us, doesn't it?

We love affirmation. We love to be acknowledged.

Why it is again? It's because of the sin that started it all: pride.

We want to make much of ourselves and what we've done, but when the Spirit enters our hearts, we are to make much of Jesus. We have been given a new heart- one that lives and breathes for the glory of our God.

Not for our own glory.

We live for the glory of our King, sweet friends!

His Spirit transforms us to become more like Jesus. When we set our eyes on Him, He becomes the one to whom we want to give the glory. When He transforms us, we realize that anything and everything we've done or been given was from Him in the first place!! :D

It isn't about us. And that is the most beautiful part of the Gospel. Jesus came to redeem this broken world, and we are beyond blessed to have been given the gift of salvation when He did that! Nothing we have to offer is of worth- and what He gives us is truly His, and not our own.

All the credit and the glory goes to Him. And if someone else takes it, God knows. He sees all things. He knows when we give up our pride and when we give others the credit. It's an amazing change that is so obviously from the Spirit of God, because we couldn't do it on our own. :)

Praise God for giving us new hearts that seek His glory and not our own!

Q: Have you seen God working in your heart in not seeking credit for what you've done? No details are needed, but it's so, so good to rejoice of the glory of God. If He is working on you, would you just offer a praise to Him with me? :D

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 

1 Corinthians 13:4-6