Monday, August 17, 2009

I Corinthians 10:31

I Corinthians 10:31: Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. (KJV)

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (NIV)

About a month ago I went to a local Wal-mart store to pick up a few items. On my way in, I grabbed a cart and proceeded into the inside of the store. I noticed an elderly lady just ahead of me suddenly begin to turn in several directions as if she was looking for something. She noticed me and said, “Where do they have the carts?” I told her they were on the outside, so she turned in that direction and proceeded to go get her own cart. Then it hit me – I’m sure it was God who reminded me - why not give her the cart I had and I could go get another. So I called to her and said, “Here, take mine – I can get one later.” She was so grateful. In fact, I saw her a few minutes later and she thanked me again for giving her my cart. I felt really good inside until I thought – God was the one who prompted me to give her my cart and yet, instead of giving Him the glory and thankfulness, I was receiving the glory.

This would have been a perfect time to testify to the fact that I do these things because God wants me to and because He wants his love to be shown to others in any way possible. Just a week before this happened, I had gone to IMPACT, our church conference, and had been challenged to be in service to God – to be engaged in our world with other people in a way that glorifies Him. In I Peter 4:11 it says …if anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

We are not all called to be preachers, teachers or evangelists, but we are called to give glory to God, to serve Him in any way that we can. When we serve others that is one way of serving God. But if we don’t let others know that we are doing this service to please God, we might be the ones getting the glory and that should not be. Serve others, but glorify God as you serve.