Glory

 

 

Battle # 3

 

Glory.

                Glory is defined as “very great praise, honor, or distinction bestowed by common consent of the people.” There is nothing wrong with glory in and of itself, but rather, what we do with that glory once it is granted to us. It is very easy for men to take pride in their work, but it is hard for us to differentiate between holy pride in what God has done through us, and what we accomplish “on our own.”

                The downfall many come to when they have accomplished a task is their pride. Humans take great pride in what they accomplish, and if they do not give the proper glory and honor to God, that pride will consume them. Those that pride themselves of their achievements forget those who helped them to that pedestal and the God who gave them the talents to achieve the task.

                That is not to say that the deeds that we undertake and conquer do not have their own rewards. It is better to seek happiness and fulfillment in these tasks than men’s praise. We must remember though, that there is no true happiness or fulfillment without the forgiveness of the Cross.

                In the world of music, a performer is lauded for his accomplishments every time he places his fingers on his instrument. The problem with this is that it boosts the musician’s pride in his work, and he often forgets that without those that stand behind him, there is no accomplishment to be had. It is difficult to avoid the trap of believing that we are better than we are when the audience praises us extravagantly.

                Each day we have the choice to claim completed duties as our effort alone, or to give the honor to those that trained us, guided us, and He who created us. Only once we have given up our hunger for fame, glory, and honor here on earth, will we discover the true meaning of happiness and fulfillment. True honor is only given to those who seek to do whatever business the Father has given them to the best of their ability with the right attitude. Proverbs 29:23 says: “A man's pride shall bring him low: but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit.”