~By Sharon Czerwien
On the first Sunday of November, I was so excited for three different thematic examples of giving credit to WHOM it’s due.
Example 1 (The Negative Example):
In my tween girls’ Sunday School class, we talked about the events in Exodus 32—specifically about the golden calf that was constructed while Moses was receiving the Law on Mount Sinai. Emphasis was placed on the people giving this false god (golden calf) the credit for bringing their people out of the land of Egypt. The Sunday School girls were rightfully shocked at the audacity that these people attributed to a false god. The real credit should have been given to the TRUE GOD and the power HE showed for His people.
They needed to give the credit to WHOM it was due!
Example 2:
Our Pastor Ryan preached on Acts 3. The apostles, Peter and John, healed a lame man outside of the temple gate. As apostles, they healed him in the name of Jesus Christ. (I’ll share more about the healed man’s response later!)
The crowd saw the results of this miracle and marveled and were greatly amazed (Acts 3:11-12). When Peter saw the strong reactions from the crowd, he did not give himself any of the credit. Instead, he proclaimed the credit went to:
“The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers” (verse 13). He went on to say that it was in the name of Jesus that the lame man was made strong (verse 16).
Peter gave credit to WHOM it was due!
Example 3:
After our church's main service, my daughter and I attended a luncheon to learn about a pregnancy care center that our church supports. The speaker mentioned that the clinic had been open for almost 20 years. Excitedly to me, the speaker even used the ideal words: we need to give credit to WHOM it is due! (By this time, I was so excited to have heard 3 separate examples of this important topic—all in one day!)
The speaker proclaimed the goodness of God in allowing this life-giving clinic to be open to our community for 20 years.
She gave the credit to WHOM it was due!
Back to Example 2:
Let us look at the healed man’s response in Acts 3.
So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God (Acts 3:8-9).
The healed man knew to WHOM the credit was due! It was God almighty who deserved the credit.
Concluding Thoughts…
It was just the month for Thanksgiving, right!? We are surely mindful of this topic. My concluding thought to my fellow Christians is that we give our praise and thanksgiving to God year-round!
~Giving the Credit,
Sharon
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