TUESDAY April 23, 2019

Self-Made Monument

So when Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told Samuel, saying, “Saul went to Carmel, and indeed, he set up a monument for himself; and he has gone on around, passed by, and gone down to Gilgal.” 
1 Samuel 15:12

Where was the heart of Saul? He gave no thought to his sinful disobedience. Instead, he was busy setting up a monument for himself in Carmel––a throne. This memorial glorified Saul. Satisfied in himself, he went down to Gilgal, near Jericho––a place of worship.

If the Lord has given you trophies, there is nothing wrong with having them, but it is important to give the glory to God for winning them. Remember, God is the One who gave you every talent, gift and any other ability. It is never good to brag about your accomplishments––be humble and give God the glory. Answer these questions honestly. Do you know your own heart? Have you set up monuments for yourself? Do you have pride in your accomplishments? Do you like to bring attention to yourself?  Are you bringing glory and honor to the Lord? If you become prideful then understand this, you are on your way down.

Understand, God has gifted every Christian. Other believers might become interested in the talents given to you by God. If they are gifted in the same area but less experienced, you should pass on what you know to help them. It would beneficial to teach them. If you give them the opportunity, perhaps they will mature and grow to do the task better than you.

Jesus taught His disciples, “The Parable of the Talents” (Matthew 25:14-30). I believe this parable teaches us to invest our talents into the lives of other people. We should not keep them to ourselves. Sometimes people try to hold on to positions. They are afraid to train others because they might become better than them. We should never be threatened by other gifted people––that is pride.

The devil is content that people should excel in good works, provided he can but make them proud of them.
~William Law~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!