Many times I’ve heard people described as a “Self made millionaire” or “Self made” this or that. The point being that it was the person themselves who accomplished whatever to be a success. Only one problem with that idea… it’s wrong. Consider Psalm 127:1…
Unless THE LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless THE LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. 2 It is in vain that you rise up early & go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for He gives to His beloved sleep.
1 Samuel 2:6 The Lord kills and brings to life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up. 7 The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and He exalts. 8 He raises up the poor from the dust; He lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor.
According to Scripture, GOD is the one who bestows success or failure. GOD is the one who protects a city/nation or brings it down. GOD raises and GOD lowers.
Man is much like the dog who goes to his bowl full of dog food his master filled and says… “How great I am to have provided myself this wonderful meal!”
We are who we are by the grace and mercy of God (CLICK HERE). We are born to the parents we have by God’s grace (See 1 Cor 15:10). The opportunities and breaks we have in life to be a success or not are from God (Click). Our intellect… abilities… personality… connections… wisdom… successes… accomplishments… and everything else we have are from God. Consider 1 Corinthians 4:7…
What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?
In one sense President Obama was right… what we have DOES come from someone else. My point would be that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change,” (James 1:17). The person all things come from is GOD.
A person is rich… poor… successful… failure… president… laborer… or anything inbetween because of what we read in 1 Cor 4:7… Ps 127:1-2… Ja 1:17… and 1 Cor 15:10. Thus God gets all the glory!