Giving Glory

Recently, I wrote about accepting compliments, instead of brushing them off.  The more I thought about that concept, and how I am the #1 rule-breaker, the more I realized I struggle to properly acknowledge compliments.  There is also a fine line between accepting a compliment, and grandstanding.  Grandstanding, quite simply, does not allow for gracious acceptance of a compliment.

The difference between the two concepts of a simple thank you, and grandstanding brings to mind our U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers, known simply as The Quiet Professionals.  Those are men who, regardless of the job they do, perform to a standard because that is the expectation – they know their job, and challenge both themselves and each other to meet the objective.  The quiet professionals don’t do their job for the money, the glory, the recognition, or the accolades; in fact, many whom I’ve known would rather not be given any attention whatsoever.

I’ve also been reflecting on the concept of the servant-leader.  Two key components of this concept are putting others first, and leading by example.  Furthermore, I am starting to wonder if another component of being a servant-leader is giving credit where credit is due.

I ultimately may be the one that puts, “pen to paper,” or might be the person accomplishing a task.  But, for what purpose am I even doing said task?

God has made me, He has molded me, and He has set me on the path He desires.  I may not fully recognize His concept, but what I can do is recognize His hand in the master plan of my life.  He has given me the skills, talents, knowledge, and abilities to do His work.

Instead of merely taking credit for a job well done, perhaps I should ask myself:

~Have I given glory to God, through my accomplishment/s?

~How do I live my Christianity, doing all things for the glory of God, and remembering to give the glory right back to the Person to whom it belongs?

~How do I embody the concept of a “servant-leader”?