Taking Glory

There is a trap that I have been involved in far too many times. It is the trap of building myself up to other people, making myself bigger than I really was at the time. In truth I am no bigger than I was then, no better than I was then. If I am bigger and better, it is solely because of the Lord in my life.

"Be not forward [self-assertive and boastfully ambitious] in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men; for better is it that it be said to you, Come up here, than you should be put lower in the presence of the prince whose eyes have seen you." Proverbs 25:6-7, Amplified

Jesus spoke the very same words to His disciples. "When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest anyone more honorable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, 'Give place to this man,' and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher.' Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you." (Luke 14:8-10, NKJV) It's simple: do not take glory for yourself, rather allow glory to overtake you.

Beauty, Wisdom and Glory (Proverbs 16:31)

Age is a gift from the Lord that comes with a conditional wisdom.

"The hoary head is a crown of beauty and glory, if it is found in the way of righteousness - of spiritual and moral rectitude in every area and relation." Proverbs 16:31, Amplified

This "hoary" head is actually speaking of gray hair. Gray hair is a sign of beauty, wisdom and glory. It speaks of someone who has been there and done that. At the feet of the silver-haired grandparent or even parent a child should want to sit and listen to stories.

But this beauty, wisdom and glory comes with a condition. The person having the hoary head must be found in the way of righteousness. I know everyone one has come across that crotchety old person who hates everything and is unhappy with every condition. But there is something different about the elderly who is following the Lord. There is a peace as he or she comes to the end of things. The silver-haired person knows that the beauty, wisdom and glory must be passed on to the next generation. My father was a man who developed gray hair very late in his life. But with that gray hair came a respect and admiration for him because his walk with the Lord had turned for the better. A lifetime of lies and deceit turned into a life of servitude.

Do Not Wallow in the Glory (Proverbs 12:8)

With wisdom comes a commendation of sorts. Wisdom is knowledge, and with that knowledge there is a responsibility to use what you know accordingly.

"A man shall be commended according to his wisdom, but he who is of a perverse heart shall be despised." Proverbs 12:8, Amplified

To be commended for what you know is a great thing. It is an acknowledgment. I know in a few occasions that I have been called in to help out in a pinch. The knowledge that I had in a kitchen was used to bring about a favorable outcome. I was commended for that knowledge. (Remember that wisdom is knowledge applied.)

But we also have a responsibility to react accordingly. We can either chalk it up as a gift from the Lord and focus the praise on Him, or we can bask in the glory for that moment. the one who is of a perverse heart will wallow in that glory for a while. Soon it will smell like a pig pen. Glory, unduly retained, soon turns to muck. This wallower will find every opportunity to remind you of how he or she was able to save the day. Sin is merely taking what the Lord has given us and turning the focus away from him. Take for instance sex. It is a beautiful thing given to us by God for the purpose of procreation, but the sinful nature of man has made a booming market out of pornography.

The commendation that is received must be deferred to God. Yes we are the vessel that He chose, but there are many other vessels to choose from. Remember that the cup that sits on the king's table has the same purpose as the cup on the beggars table. They are both put there to serve. After either one is used, there is a gratification in the spirit of the man, and the cup will be used again.