To God be the glory, great things He has done! Giving God the glory is a Word-centered alternative to bringing glory to ourselves. When we choose to give glory to God, we can walk in the love of God that never fails.
The love of God does not vaunt itself. In order to walk in love, there are certain things we will need to avoid, and this is one of them. We can see this truth in the thirteenth chapter of I Corinthians.
I Corinthians 13:4:
Charity [the love of God] suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.
The Greek word translated “vaunteth…itself” means to show oneself a boaster or braggart or to make oneself appear more than what he or she is. Instead of seeking glory for ourselves, we are to glory in God.
II Corinthians 10:17:
But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
We can bring glory to God in our Christian walk by directing attention to God. A stage spotlight keeps the audience’s attention on the activity of a selected character or performer. There may be a lot of activity happening on the stage, but the spotlight keeps the primary focus where it should be. In like manner, we can keep the spotlight on God, bringing attention to what God has done, what He is able to do, what He will do for others.
Jeremiah 9:23,24:
Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.
When we recognize that the love of God does not vaunt itself, we can decide to direct the “spotlight” away from ourselves—our worldly wisdom, our wealth, our accomplishments—and onto God. We can bring glory to God by focusing on His greatness, His goodness, His power, His love; and bringing others’ attention to these remarkable realities.
As I Corinthians 13:8 tells us, “Charity never faileth….” Love never fails. It is guaranteed to never become obsolete. To state it in the affirmative, God’s love always remains. It is for all times and profits now and in the future. By bringing glory to God, we are walking in that never-failing love of God that not only impacts our lives but others’ lives as well.
In my employment as a salesperson, I have experienced some significant successes. These victories have caught the attention of other employees and managers, and on several occasions they have asked me how I was able to bring about these successes. There are practical actions that I have taken, and I share them; however, my great joy is to tell them of God’s partnership with me on the job and of His answers to specific prayers regarding work. I know, and I tell others, that my success is attributed to God, bringing Him the glory.
This simple shift of focus from ourselves to God is powerful. As we turn attention away from our own abilities or accolades and keep the attention on God Who is almighty and all-powerful, we give others the opportunity to believe and know our mighty God.
By giving God the glory and keeping the spotlight on Him, we can walk in the love of God that never fails. We can glorify God in our speech and give others the opportunity to know and glory in our loving heavenly Father. As the chorus of the hymn “To God Be the Glory” goes:
“Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He hath done.”