Luke 17:10 - Humbly Taking Pride In Your Work

Friday 3/2/12 – Humbly Taking Pride In Your Work

Luke 17:10 “So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’”

Interpretation:

     When you just accomplished a huge task, how do you feel? Do you feel a sense of accomplishment? Do you ever want to just take a step back and take pride in your work? If you do a good job, that’s probably the normal thing to do. And taking pride in your work is a good thing. We even teach our kids to do their best and take pride in what they are doing.

     So why here, does Jesus not say that after we have done what we were commanded we can step back and take pride in our work? It’s because there’s one flaw when you apply the principle of taking pride in your work to the Christian walk – none of it’s your work to begin with! We might think we have something to do with it, but in Philippians 2:13 it says “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” James 1:17 mentions “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights…” and the next verse goes on to say “Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth…” So the Biblical principle that in us nothing good dwells apart from God and that without Him we can do nothing is a fact that we as God’s servants must bear in mind even when we accomplish the greatest tasks. For if we start to take the glory for the tasks we accomplish for God, it turns our eyes on ourselves and it will only be a matter of time before our flesh disappoints. No matter what great things we do for God, we must always keep a humble attitude, realizing that we are unprofitable servants saved and growing only by God’s grace and our only duty is to let God be God and get all the glory in our lives.

Application:

     At the end of today, I will look back at the tasks I did and the accomplishments I achieved that I am proud of and give God all the glory for them, asking Him to continue doing His work in my life as I just stand aside and let Him be God.