Why not give credit where credit is due?

Question

Why do people often seem to give credit to their God instead of themselves or those directly deserved of the credit?

For example, the food you eat likely came from a farm or store, why not thank the farmers or the store owners and employees instead?

Or another example, if a student does well on a test and exclaims "thank God I got did well on that test," they are depriving themself of credit they earned. By doing so, their confidence could ultimately suffer. They took the initiative to study for the test instead of watching TV. They paid attention in class and took notes. And ultimately, they took the test and answered the questions correctly.

Why don't people seem to give their self or those involved credit more often?

Answer 1

There is a distinction between stewardship and provision. Christians who thank God for all things realize that it is God who gives us life, who gave us our minds to understand, our talents and skills with which we labor, our ability to learn and think, our health, who blesses the work of our hands and our relationships with others, who has enabled us to have a house, who created all the food we enjoy and are able to cultivate on this earth, who gave us the earth on which to live, and a hundred other things. Praying before meals is simply a daily reminder to us of God's continued provision in all things.

You are right that we have taken the initiative to study and learn, but God gave us our minds to understand and blessed us with the opportunity to learn and to live in a country where that is even possible and where we can worship God freely.

This, however, is all stewardship. God has given us all these things, and it is our responsibility and privilege to use our talents, skills, abilities, and opportunities wisely. So, when we do this, it is commendable. Yet, it is nothing compared to all that God has given us.

To glory more in what we have done with what God has given us than in the God who gives is inappropriate. That's like taking credit for drinking milk as a baby. It's your mom who gives it to you--you are just the recipient.

Answer 2

Quite simply, we do give credit where credit is due.

As a Christian I am quite happy to thank the farmer for their labors or the waitress for serving me, but I believe that it is God who provides me the food (and the farmer rain and the waitress a job).

The same reasoning can be applied to all your other cases. The example of "self" however is most out of place with Christian belief. We don't pat ourselves on the back or boast in our accomplishments because we know that any talent or ability we posses or any success our labors is a grace from God, of which we are only stewards.

Answer 3

the food you eat likely came from a farm or store, why not thank the farmers ?

Who created the the soil, the seeds, provided the rain? Who created the farmer?

if a student does well on a test and exclaims "thank God I got did well on that test,"

Who gifted the student with the motivation to study and the strength of mind to store and recall what he studied at the exam time (hint: it wasn't just his parents).

Answer 4

I believe we thank God for the condition for all these things and not for a specific thing.

One day at church the pastor said that we should thank God for every good thing that happen to us and blame ourselves for every bad thing that happen, to me that is stupid.

I'm used to say that God gave man two powers, the one to create and the other to destroy in any aspect, you choose what to do according to His words.

We are responsible for what we do, not God.

There are some other things we like to put God in the middle. There are who say that God is in control of everything and not even a leaf will fall from the tree without his order.

I don't really think that God, the creator of everything we know, see and feel, is worried about a leaf falling or not falling from a tree. I believe that He have created 3 laws. The Biological, Physical and Moral laws.

It doesn't matter who or what you are, one day you will die and get sick. (Biological Law)

It doesn't matter who or what you are, you will fall if you jump. (Physical Law)

It doesn't matter who or what you are, if you cheat, kill, disobey, etc, it will be seen as a wrong attitude. (Moral Law)

PS: Sorry for my poor english =)