Whats Your Glory?

A DevotionByDon Earlier this year, Janet and I watched a movie titled Have A Little Faith by Mitch Albom. Mitch also wrote Tuesdays With Morrie and The Five People You Meet In Heaven. In his Faith story, Mitch tells of the beautiful impact from his Rabbis request that Mitch deliver the Rabbis eulogy. At the outset, Mitch lets us know, as is often the case with faith, I thought I was being asked a favor, when in fact I was being given one. While there are many thought-provoking questions throughout this story, the one haunting me most was the name of a book Mitch discovered his Rabbi had written, titled Whats your glory? When Mitch asked about his book, and its title question, the Rabbi told him one day at the islands a person came up to him and asked: "Mister, whats your glory?" To which Mitch responded, "Teaching." After sharing this, the Rabbi turned to Mitch and asked, "So Mitch, whats your glory?". In a sense, this question begs us all to know our glory what defines us, what exemplifies us best and to what we aspire. What is the one thing or things we do that give us meaning, satisfaction, joy and make a difference to others and the world? In my research on this fascinating question, I found a sermon delivered by a Wesley United Methodist Church pastor. In it, the pastor said St. Irenaeus was the one who said: "The glory of God is the human being fully alive." After saying that, the pastor explained that when we live out our baptismal vows, God is glorified. God's glory is you and me, growing and doing the work of God's love. When we live out our lives according to our baptismal vows, not only is God glorified; our glory shines through, too. Then he cited Psalm 84:11a (NLT), For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory . Tony Campolo said this of Who is a Christian? "A Christian is one whose heart is broken by the things that break the heart of God. A Christian is one who is angry over the things that anger the heart of God. A Christian is one who has joy over the things that bring joy to the heart of God." I think Tonys insight can be extended to say, a Christian is one who by desire of heart, seeks to reflect Gods glory through how he or she lives their life.
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To get a better idea of what someones glory might be, I went to the internet and found these examples: one person said creating art is my glory; others said it has been their gift, talent or passion or to see only the good in people. One response was: to make others feel loved. And one person reported on their deceased husbands glory as this: Bills glory was service... to country, to God, to man (Might we all know a Bill?). And perhaps your glory is simply sharing Gods love. A Dr. Dan Doriani, senior pastor of a Presbyterian church, spoke of our glory in a sermon. In it he said, Romans 11 impels us to ask, What is your glory?, as we seek to carry out the gifts God has given us, doing what we do for His glory. Dr. Doriani cites Psalm 95 and Jeremiah as having reminders that those things that are our glory, are actually Gods glory working through us, and that God delights in our extending His glory. Jeremiah 9:23-24 says, Thus says the LORD, Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises loving-kindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things, declares the LORD (NASB). Perhaps, as the Rabbi put it, God sings, we hum along. So if I understand this message so far, its that we must be an example of Gods glory by being a model of good deeds. Wait! Thats Titus 2:7, which tells us we are to be 7showing yourself as a model of good deeds in every respect, with integrity in your teaching, dignity, . (NAB). And have you noticed how natural, and unaware, a person seems to be when revealing the glory God has given them? Indeed, it is not contrived or forced; it just flows. So what, may I ask, is your glory? Have you given this thought, knowing your answer, or is an answer not something that comes readily? As I reflected on our family of ministry, I came to what I imagined would be the answer for some of you. For example, our Founders glory might be his passion and urgency for seeing the Kingdom expanded through the ministry of ICM. Our website artists glory might be his quietly using his gifts to bring God glory as others see it through his work. One of our assistants glory might be her
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determination to find a better way, through creative ideas. Our senior representatives glory could be his passion and gifting for building relationships for Gods purposes. Our proofreaders glory might be her gift and desire to bring excellence to everything written (Oops; should have had her check this!). Our bookkeepers glory could be bringing excellence in stewardship though the application of the gifts God has given her. Our receptionists glory seems to be her welcoming spirit to all who visit the ministry. Our prayer coordinators glory must be her passion and joy for prayer. And Dick Woodwards glory is surely his teaching. Plus, in honor of today being our Founders wifes birthday, I submit her glory is bringing joy to every encounter! But perhaps Im not correct in my assessments, so to help you come to your answers, and for those of you I didnt cover, Ive decided to draw on an exercise given to us in last weeks devotion. Heres your assignment. Take a name from the cup being passed around and plan to get with that person as soon as you can, initially to let them know you have their name and then to spend time with them to help them ascertain their answer. Please check immediately to see that you didnt draw your own name and if you did, put it back in and draw another one. For those not physically present, fear not; I will draw for them and apprise each of their match-up. Its important we remember our glory is nothing more than the application of what God has given us in gifts, in heart and in initiative. What we believe to be our glory is not to be construed as a claim to our doing something well (as pointed out in Acts 3:11-12, why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk.), or even doing it all the time. After all, we have our human being condition, you know! Rather, it is our claim to something God has given us and which we desire to put on a lampstand for His glory. Our reminder of this comes in Mark 4:21 NASB, And He was saying to them, A lamp is not brought to be put under a basket, is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on the lampstand?

So to recap what you, for yourself and for your partner, will be looking for: What defines you? What exemplifies you best? To what do you aspire? What is the one thing or things you do that give you meaning, satisfaction, joy and make a difference to others and the world?

When you have your answer, offer it up to God, asking that He use your glory for His glory. Then, for the rest of your assignment, go watch this movie. Then be ready to answer when the Rabbi asks his question.