Let The Credit Go To Someone Else
Janina Gomes
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God can make tremendous use of one who does not care to whom the credit goes, writes Pastor Robert H Schuller in his book on `Positive Attitudes'. That does not sound familiar, does it? After all, most of us are inspired to work harder when we are given full credit for what we have done and reap the rewards inherent in self-effort.There is however, a deeper principle at work here. We are linked to others and in fact to the whole universe which makes our self-effort part of a grander scheme of things. This deeper principle reminds us that humility requires us to downplay our achievements and to view our successes as stepping stones to the happiness of others.
We spend much of our time in building our careers. Long years of study followed by long years of work in a profession bring us expertise, experience and the fruits of our labour. I'm not suggesting that we become doormats for others to wipe their feet on and move on.But once we're mature and are sure of ourselves and our contribution to society, it will not matter to us if others take credit for what we have done.
Hierarchies are born and remain due to our subordination to others. Since work is often team work, it is quite natural that those that head institutions and companies galvanise the team and take credit for work that may have been spread down the line.Some of us may grow resentful and grumble. Others just treat it as normal. When we allow others to take credit we are not giving away anything without a larger purpose to it all. We merely become facilitators of a divine plan which makes the best use of resour ces, whether material or human, to achieve ends for the common good.
To place the common good above self makes us less self-conscious. We become emotionally mature when we do not expect to be patted on the back for every achievement. Does it matter then if the credit goes to someone else?
There are many shadow writers who prepare articles, speeches, addresses and other documents that are credited to someone else. This is not an act of irresponsibility but rather accepting the greater responsibility of acting like a public servant to whom duty and honour come before their own self-interest.
School teachers who have inspired their students to reach heights are often forgotten. It was they who sowed the seeds of success in their pupils. They do not claim any credit for their pupils' successes but continue in their noble mission of passing on their ideals and aspirations to newer generations.
So the pastor was right when he said that God can make tremendous use of those who do not care to whom the credit goes. This is also a pattern we follow in society by submitting ourselves to authority . We work, live and we grow under tutelage. Extreme individualism does not encourage such thinking. But, those who are really noble do not care about taking credit. By focussing their efforts instead on others they know that in the end in every human endeavour or choice, is embedded a lasting principle that finally in everything that we succeed in and achieve, the final acclaim and credit goes to God.
We spend much of our time in building our careers. Long years of study followed by long years of work in a profession bring us expertise, experience and the fruits of our labour. I'm not suggesting that we become doormats for others to wipe their feet on and move on.But once we're mature and are sure of ourselves and our contribution to society, it will not matter to us if others take credit for what we have done.
Hierarchies are born and remain due to our subordination to others. Since work is often team work, it is quite natural that those that head institutions and companies galvanise the team and take credit for work that may have been spread down the line.Some of us may grow resentful and grumble. Others just treat it as normal. When we allow others to take credit we are not giving away anything without a larger purpose to it all. We merely become facilitators of a divine plan which makes the best use of resour ces, whether material or human, to achieve ends for the common good.
To place the common good above self makes us less self-conscious. We become emotionally mature when we do not expect to be patted on the back for every achievement. Does it matter then if the credit goes to someone else?
There are many shadow writers who prepare articles, speeches, addresses and other documents that are credited to someone else. This is not an act of irresponsibility but rather accepting the greater responsibility of acting like a public servant to whom duty and honour come before their own self-interest.
School teachers who have inspired their students to reach heights are often forgotten. It was they who sowed the seeds of success in their pupils. They do not claim any credit for their pupils' successes but continue in their noble mission of passing on their ideals and aspirations to newer generations.
So the pastor was right when he said that God can make tremendous use of those who do not care to whom the credit goes. This is also a pattern we follow in society by submitting ourselves to authority . We work, live and we grow under tutelage. Extreme individualism does not encourage such thinking. But, those who are really noble do not care about taking credit. By focussing their efforts instead on others they know that in the end in every human endeavour or choice, is embedded a lasting principle that finally in everything that we succeed in and achieve, the final acclaim and credit goes to God.
