A Faithful Messenger

Like the cold of snow in time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him, for he refreshes the soul of his masters.
—Proverbs 25:13


Many people lack faith in God’s ability to fulfill His Word by providing for their needs. Instead, they strive to prove their worth and, in the process, rely on themselves to meet their needs. This lack of faith prevents them from faithfully representing the Master.
 
A genuinely humble person finds joy in recognizing that God is the source of all the good in their life (James 1:17). They may have worked hard to earn their money, but it is God who gave them the ability to do so (Deuteronomy 8:18). Similarly, you may work hard to be healthy, but it is God who fearfully and wonderfully made you (Psalm 139:14). You may be skilled in music, but God gave you that talent to bless and serve others (1 Peter 4:10). The world may encourage you to be a “self-made” man or woman, but you aren’t. God created you. When you allow Him to create through your life, He achieves His best in and through you. 
 
However, if you take credit for the best God accomplishes through you, you steal His glory and set yourself up for humiliation. You can steal God’s glory by taking credit for what He has done, but you can also steal His glory by not humbly receiving the honor given to you for what He has accomplished through you. Never downplay what you have done for the Lord. Just give Him honor and praise. 

Jesus never took God’s glory for Himself. He always stated His dependence on God and honored His Father. Jesus said God spoke through Him, and He only spoke His Father’s words.
 
“My message is not my own; it comes from God who sent me. Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own. Those who speak for themselves want glory only for themselves, but a person who seeks to honor the one who sent him speaks truth, not lies” (John 7:16-18, NLT).
 
Jesus didn’t speak His own message. He didn’t seek His own glory. There was no unrighteousness in Him. He gave God the credit. But He also didn’t deny what God did through Him—the dead were raised, the blind received sight, and the lame walked. He even cited those miracles as evidence of who He was (Matthew 11:4-6). You don’t need to discredit your accomplishments. But do you give God credit for them and acknowledge Him as your source?
 
Taking credit is prideful, but so is downplaying what God has done. You basically steal His glory. Jesus never downplayed the miracles God did through Him. People asked Him where He got His authority, and He faithfully gave the glory to God. He was a faithful messenger of God’s message.
 
In Proverbs, you discover what is meant by being a faithful messenger (Proverbs 13:17; 14:5, 25;  25:13). A faithful messenger is trustworthy. He is true to the one who sent him. He doesn’t honor and glorify himself but represents accurately and reliably the one who sent him. An untrustworthy messenger is more concerned with his or her own reputation. If the message to be delivered will cause him hurt or discomfort, he will revise the message to be sure it is well received. That is pride. He shouldn’t concern himself with how people will respond. A faithful messenger will just do what God says. He is concerned with God’s response and whether He is pleased. God seeks those who will share His message accurately and reliably and aren't worried about how it is received.
 
A worker harvesting on a hot day would find the cold of snow incredibly refreshing. That’s similar to the way a faithful messenger makes his master feel. Are you a faithful and trustworthy messenger? Are you more concerned about God’s opinion than the opinions of men?  Do you seek God’s approval instead of the approval of others? Do you glorify God for His accomplishments and not downplay what He has accomplished through you? Do you refresh your Master's soul?
 
Humility is balanced. It doesn’t elevate or deflate you. A faithful messenger is a person whose life is totally and utterly dependent on God. God is his source. He relies only on the One who created him.