WE ARE MERELY SERVANTS AND WE HAVE SIMPLY DONE OUR DUTY
"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.’ ”
Luke 17:10 (NKJV)
Comment: Whatever may be your achievement in the work of the Kingdom, ministry; do not see yourself to have done something special or commendable or extraordinary—simply see yourself as God's servant or vessel who has just done what you ought to do (1 Corinthians 9:16,17).
A believer or minister who thinks he or she has done a special thing for God; and as a result of it they should be commended specially; such a believer or minister is still carnal and yet to be matured. Whatever you do, just accept that you are privileged to be used of God (Acts 5:41).
Do not allow people to be praising and eulogizing you, telling you that you are doing a great thing which no other person can do. Whatever you are doing, or you did, for Kingdom purposes should be seen as a privilege. That is, If you did not do it; there are many other people who can be used by God to do it, even better than yourself—to accomplish whatever purpose you might have accomplished.
Note:
a. You should not vaunt about your achievements.
b. You should not listen to sycophants, those who are praising you as If you have done what no one else can do.
It is only God Who has no equal. Whatever anyone has done, there are millions of people who can do the same or something better than it.
Most of the times, people are not always realistic and sincere or truthful when they are trying to appreciate or celebrate someone.
The people in general do believe you have to say a good thing about others. It is true, that has to be done, one should appreciate and commend others; It is biblical (Romans 13:7; Philippians 2:3).
However, It should not be overdone; to the extent that It would be as If you are lying just because you wanted to say a good thing about the person and present him or her as a good person.
Believers should not be hypocritical. Let your Yes be Yes and your No be No (Matthew 5:37). You cannot be lying because you wanted to present someone as a good person. If you do not know much about the person or have much good things to say about the person, keep quiet; there is no point trying to paint or present the person as who he or she is not.
Someone has just bought a plot of land and build a small church auditorium on it; whilst you are introducing the person to others, you are saying this person is doing a great and mighty work, in fact, a gigantic work! A gigantic work on a plot of land? A believer should not be a flatterer. Why flattering the person? Is it that you want the person to feel good about himself or what? When introducing someone, Is it even necessary or compulsory to say a lot of things, all his or her achievements?
Whatever the person has done or is doing for God; that should be for the glorification of God's name. Not about reading a long profile of the person.
When introducing some ministers, their profile would almost take half of the time he or she would use in preaching or teaching.
Whatever you are doing for God and His Kingdom; you should simply see yourself as an unprofitable servant (Luke 17:10). You should just see that you have just done what you ought to do as a faithful servant of God. Apostle Paul said this about himself:
16 TELLING THE GOOD NEWS DOES NOT GIVE ME ANY REASON FOR BRAGGING. Telling the Good News is my duty—SOMETHING I MUST DO. AND HOW TERRIBLE IT WILL BE FOR ME IF I DO NOT TELL THE GOOD NEWS. 17 If I preach because it is my own choice, I have a reward. BUT IF I PREACH AND IT IS NOT MY CHOICE TO DO SO, I AM ONLY DOING THE DUTY THAT WAS GIVEN TO ME" (1 Corinthians 9:16,17 New Century Version).
A believer or a minister should avoid pride or self aggrandizement because of his or her achievements in the ministry work.
I heard of a minister who was introduced and called up to the podium to preach. When the introduction was done, he did not stand up, he said the person should go back and introduce him properly before he would come up to preach. In other words, the person who introduced him probably did not mentioned some of his titles or say some of the things, his achievements, that he wanted people to know about.
If you are found in the web of what is shared here, self glorification; repent now, God does not share His glory with anyone (Isaiah 42:8).
Peace.