2 Corinthians 3: All Glory Belongs to God

Verse 5: Our competence comes not from ourselves but from God.

◇ Now that the beginning of autumn has passed, the fields will soon turn golden. The rice plants will bow their heads, heavy with grains that have endured the hot sun and typhoon rains of July and August. The more grains the rice plants bear, the more they bow, and our ancestors learned humility from this sight. Likewise, as people achieve more, they should bow their heads and be humble.

Paul is the person who spread Christianity, which started in Palestine on the edge of the great Roman Empire, to the center of the world, Rome. He overcame all kinds of difficulties, preached Jesus as the Christ, and established Christianity. He is an indispensable figure in Christian history.

Paul says that what they have done is not from themselves but from God. Everything comes from God, and therefore, Paul is not satisfied with himself.

Here, not being satisfied can be equated with not being arrogant. Paul attributes all his deeds to God. He sees himself as merely an instrument of God, humbling himself and exalting God.

When Paul healed a man who could not walk in Lystra, and the locals tried to worship him as Hermes and Barnabas as Zeus (Acts 14:12), Paul strongly resisted, showing that he recognized himself as an instrument of God.

Paul does not take credit for anything. Therefore, he does not become self-satisfied or arrogant. He gives all the credit and glory to God, expressing gratitude.

♧ God, let us always give all the glory to you! Keep us humble! Holy Spirit, lead us in truth!