Glory in Your Story

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over         all the earth! Psalm 108:5

 

I am a fan of Christian radio. It is one of the major things God used to bring me to repentance and salvation. BUT, every once in a while I hear something that makes me cringe.

Yesterday I heard a Mom who had written a book about teaching children to be generous (or it was one point she was emphasizing in the few minutes I heard her speaking). She was telling the story of leaving money inside of items at a Dollar Store. She and her young daughters would also leave a note of greeting telling the person blessed enough to find the money that it was a gift. She said, though she clearly thought she was teaching Christ-like behavior, “And they don’t even have to use His name!” As if this is good thing.

She was unchallenged from the host of the program. Her children, though they are being taught to share their money, are unchallenged to share their faith. In Isaiah 64:6 Isaiah said that our righteous deeds are as filthy rags when Christ is left out of them. In the previous verse he said of God, “You meet him who joyfully works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways.”

When we give $1.06 to the Dollar Store customer, offer a cup of water to a thirsty person, or food to the hungry, and fail to point them to the Giver of all good gifts, who gets the glory? Why not suggest that  it is because of the great God in heaven that they are receiving anything from us? Why not  teach a child that God has compassion on the poor and needy, the orphan and the widow, and crediting Him when we have that same compassion?

That person who is the receiver of such gifts will benefit far more from the truth about who Jesus is than they will to learn that some generous little child left them enough money to buy an earthly treat.

When I got home, I checked my social media. I am following a new guy, Darryn Zewalk, on Twitter and have not seen much he has had to say. Yesterday, this was his “tweet: “God can’t get the glory, if you don’t include Him in your story.” Amen, Darryn.

So, there is glory in all of our stories. Who gets it in ours? Who are we teaching our children should get in theirs?

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31