Pay your obligations to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor. Romans 13:7 HCSB
The phrase “Give credit where credit is due” is based on our scripture passage for today. Most of us like to see people get what they deserve or what they have coming to them. We like to see the hard worker get the promotion, we like to see evil people punished, we like to see good people get good in return.
Do you feel that you are getting credit where credit is due? Are you a good worker and are you being rewarded for that? Are you a good spouse that feels rewarded within your marriage? Are you a good parent being rewarded by a child that is polite, respectful and loving towards you?
Do you feel that you are giving credit where credit is due? Every good gift comes from above (James 1:17). Do you give God credit where credit is due. Do you give back to Him what is owed to Him?
When I say my prayers at night, I have a long list of praise and thanksgiving. But, I also have a long list of wants. I want healing for those who are sick, comfort for those who are mourning, safety for my family and friends and for lost souls to come to Christ. If I think about what I deserve, I don’t deserve any of these things. For years, I just used God as my 911. When the going got tough, I drew near to Him. As soon as the dust settled, I settled back into my lazy, unappreciative ways. When I think back to when times got rough, I realize that it was my own sin that caused these situations. I entered into relationships without praying about them first. I committed sin within these relationships and did not put God first. I made a lot of mistakes. I must say I deserved all the troubles that came my way. I have never deserved God’s love, His mercy or His amazing grace, but for some reason, He gave it to me anyway. When I finally broke down and realized that I had to do it His way, He was waiting for me with open arms. He gave me love and forgiveness when I deserved rejection. He gave me help and healing when I deserved to lay down in the miserable bed I had made for myself. I still make mistakes. My mouth is my biggest enemy. I say things I should not say. I constantly pray for His forgiveness and He gives it when I don’t deserve it. I will never measure up. I will never be deserving of the awesome love He has for me. But, I will keep trying. I will strive to be the trusting and obedient child that He deserves. He deserves my respect, my honor and my praise. More than anything I want to see Him get what He deserves.
I am frightened by what I have been seeing in the news lately. People seem to be literally worshiping political candidates. It’s almost as if they have forgotten who is in control. We give praise to the political person or party that we believe deserves our praise. We fail to realize that God will give to them what they deserve and to us what we deserve. God’s got this. In God We Trust is just a phrase on our money. You would think that we would all understand that people let us down. Still, I see many people who believe if their candidate doesn’t win, we are all doomed. 2 Chronicles 7:14 tells us that if we, as God’s people, will humble ourselves and pray and seek the Lord and turn from our wicked ways that God will hear from heaven and forgive our sin and heal our land. It doesn’t matter what is happening in the White House. What matters is what is happening in the church house. What matters is what is happening within the body of believers in our nation. We must put God first.
I want you to look at your life today. Are you getting the credit that is due you? Are you giving credit where credit is due? If He has blessed you with a good income, are you giving ten percent of that back to Him? If He has blessed you with health, are you using that to serve Him? He has blessed each of us with a spiritual gift, are you using that in His service? If He has blessed you with children, are you raising them to love and honor and praise Him?
God gives me so much more and so much better than I deserve. I will spend the rest of my life here on planet earth humbling myself before Him and being grateful for the credit He gives me that I am not due. I pray that you will do the same. Give God what is due Him and He will give you way better than you deserve. Don’t take my word for it, try it for yourself.
Have a great day!