NOT FOR YOUR HONOR
The book of Judges is a history lesson about Israel and how they were not faithful to God for long periods of time. The writer declares that there arose a generation which knew not the Lord (Judges 2:10). It is not just one generation but over and over again after God had blessed them, they would return to the practice of idolatry. In the depths of their suffering they would cry out to the Lord and He would send them a deliverer in the personage of a judge.
One such case is found in Judges 4 and the woman judge, named Deborah. The king of Canaan was tormenting Israel at this time. Deborah as a judge had called for Barak to lead the army of the Lord’s people into battle. Even though he had assurance of this battle he wanted her to go with him into battle (Judges 4:8). He says to Deborah, “…if thou wilt go with me" (verse 8). She tells him that she will go and that he will lead the people into battle.
At this point she reminds him of a truth that should always fill the hearts of those who choose to follow God. The truth is that God is the One who gets the glory for the victory in battle. She speaks about the coming battle as Barak taking a journey. When he would go on this journey she states it would not be, “…for thine honour” (verse 9). All the actions taken would be for the purpose of deliverance of Israel and a reminder that it is God who provided the victory. We see many times in Scripture where God guards the glory that belongs to Him.
The reason Moses did not lead Israel into Canaan was because he did not give God the glory (Numbers 20:10). God said to Moses and Aaron that they failed to sanctify God in the eyes of the children of Israel (verse 12). Years later, Gideon, during the time of the judges, would assemble an army to fight the Midianites. God tells him at the beginning, your army is too large. The reason is that God did not want Israel to think that the victory was by their own hand and not the power of God (Judges 7:2). Other cases could be cited but I think we can see the point. Give the glory to God and not to ourselves.
Our life is indeed a journey. It is composed of many battles, heartaches, sorrows and victories. As we make this journey we should keep reminding ourselves that the journey is not for our honor. When Corinth was beset by division and strife, Paul reminded them that he had planted, Apollos watered but it was God who gave the increase (I Corinthians 3:6). It was foolish to divide the body at Corinth over the lives of various preachers who had exerted influence among them (I Corinthians 1:12). Who were men but servants of God? None of us will be judged on what others have done with their journey but what we have done.
The warning against pride is given once more inside the first letter to Corinth. The person who thinks they are standing and cannot fall need to take heed to keep that from happening (I Corinthians 10:12). The ninth chapter of this book closed with Paul watching his own life less he also should become a castaway (I Corinthians 9:27). If Paul, an apostle of the Lord, had to keep watch over his soul, then certainly you and I must do the same. Paul had a special walk with the Lord and he reflects upon the abundance of revelation that he received from God. He states that there was given him a “thorn in the flesh” so that he would not be exalted and take the glory for himself (II Corinthians 12:7).
Whatever role we play as Christians striving to serve the Lord, we should all remember that the church is the body of Christ and it is not about us as individuals. None of us should strive to rise higher than the calling in Christ Jesus. The prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus should always be higher than us (Philippians 3:14). If my ego or pride is bruised by some fellow Christian my response should never be to the detriment of the body of Christ.
The passage in I Corinthians 6 is often cited to warn brethren about not going to law, that is suing one another before the courts of the land. Look however at the context in verse 7. Here is the question. “Why do ye not rather take wrong”? If pride and injury fill our hearts, then a solution is to remind ourselves that this journey is not for our honor, but for His. How we respond reflects on Who we serve?