Hello
I just hate it when someone takes credit for my hard work. And when that happens, trusting the person becomes a serious challenge. But what about the business of evangelism; or general Christian ministry? Is it okay for me to guard my intellectual property or seek recognition for what I’ve done?
If yes, then how does that resonate with today’s Holy Nougat™?
It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. 1 Corinthians 3:7 NLT
There is a sense in which the answer to my question is perfectly straightforward. It’s God’s vineyard, God’s ministry; we’re all members of God’s team. Paul says the only important issue is that the glory is given to God. And he is absolutely correct.
But if that is the case, how do we justify Paul’s honoring some of his supporters in the epistles, or his complaint that he was all but abandoned by his colleagues? Can we hold ministers and church workers accountable to earthly supervision? Do we praise any one individual for their diligence and faithfulness in ministry? And what happens when one’s creativity or intellectual property is that which provides ones livelihood? Moreover, does that account for the supermarket approach to church attendance in several postmodern contexts?
I would dare to suggest that whatever occupies us has been forged – at least in part – by someone else’s investment and input. It may be the training we have received, which we improved and made our own. It could be the ministry investment of a church school teacher, chorister, pastor or active lay person. It could even be the impact of someone’s failure.
Standing on the back of another’s investment is testimony to God’s faithfulness. When possible, we honor God by recognizing our predecessors’ worth or acknowledging the support we received for the fulfillment of our ministry. And we honor God even more by giving our all to that which God has assigned us.
Let God be God and the Credit for our successes!
In Christ’s love and grace . . .
