Who Gets the Credit?

Success Way by Dinny at freeimages.com

Who gets the credit?

This question is seldom vocalized, but often unconsciously on the mind of everyone.

Sports teams struggle with the question.

Church leaders struggle with the question.

Preachers secretly ask themselves, “will I get the credit?” when this succeeds.

Elders just wonder why the preacher gets the credit and they get the blame!

Husbands and wives have many fights over this issue.  Typically it is more along the lines of “Why didn’t you give me credit?”

Church members leave and go to another church because they asked the question, they felt they should be the answer to the question, yet they were overlooked.  They were under-appreciated.

Diotrephes, of John’s 3rd epistle, knew the answer to the question.  It was himself who deserved the credit, and when others didn’t answer it properly he put them out of the church.

I am reminded of a story about a lion going through the jungle asking various animals who is the greatest in all the land.  The monkey said, “You are oh king of the jungle.”  The lion turns to the zebra, who answers likewise to the question.  Finally the lion turns to the elephant.  He asks the elephant, “Who is the greatest in all the land?”  The elephant promptly picks up the lion with his big trunk and slams the lion to the ground.  The lion dusts himself off and looks up to the elephant and says, “well, you didn’t have to be upset if you didn’t know the answer.”

I often find myself asking the question in some form, “Who gets the credit?”  It all revolves around selfishness and jealousy.  It is the same issue the disciples were fighting over during Jesus’ ministry.  It is the same issue most churches fight over regularly.  It is the issue that causes problems for most families.  It is pride, plain and simple!

Michael Hyatt in one of his podcasts said, “a real leader isn’t focused on who gets the credit, but on making a difference.”  This is the attitude that Christians should have.

Jesus said, “Whoever would be first among you must be your slave.”  (Mat. 20:27).

May God help us to stop ourselves when we are asking ourselves these questions.  Help us to focus on making a kingdom difference, rather than ourselves getting the credit.