“If you start thinking to yourselves, “I did all this. And all by myself. I’m rich. It’s all mine!”—well, think again. Remember that God, your God, gave you the strength to produce all this wealth so as to confirm the covenant that he promised to your ancestors—as it is today.”
Deuteronomy 8:17, 18 MSG
“Have you heard anyone exclaim, “I’m a self-made man.” I mean, think how ridiculous that statement really is. How could you make yourself? Did you just will it…and it was so? Did you allow your heart to beat approximately 100,000 times yesterday? Are you making yourself breathe 21, 600 times today? Those amounts are both necessary to live just one day.
So, for you to have the capacity to become a “self-made man”…who is tending to all the unseen that is taking place to allow you to function as a living, breathing person?
Now let’s take it a step further. As a living, breathing, heart-beating person, you are busy accumulating wealth so that you can live…and live well!
As you toil for a living…making money, saving money, and investing money to make more money…you start to look around at all your “stuff” and your “status”.
Your arm aches as you pat yourself on your back for the 79th time, while exclaiming, “I did all this…all by myself…I’m rich…it’s all mine!”
Well…think again. Actually, fall to your knees and thank God, your God, for giving you the strength and the ability, to produce all this wealth.
God keeps you going. God gives you strength for each new day. God created you in such a way…with talents and gifts…to make wealth.
But it is God who is behind the scene doing it all. Give Him the glory. Give Him the praise. “In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.” Proverbs 3:6
Romans 11: 33 tells us that “everything is from Him and through Him and to Him.”
You weren’t created by a living God, in His image, to take credit for His handiwork. Just be grateful to the God who “formed you in your mother’s womb” (Psalm 139), “preserves you and is Your portion and inheritance. He even maintains your lot.” (Psalm 16). Thank you, Lord.
