One of the greatest evidences of being a mature individual is choosing to do what is right even when other people feel they are the ones making you; even when they take credit for what you do. Still, we need to learn to do what is right just because it is right and leave the credit issue to God, who does not forget anything.
I remember an individual whose parents wanted him to go to law school at the University of Michigan. He struggled with that, and finally he went to his parents and put his foot down and said, “Mom and Dad, I’m going to go to law school even though you want me to!” We do so hate being controlled that sometimes we do the opposite of what is good for us, the opposite of what we really want, because we don’t want to feel controlled and to let other people take the credit.
Can you see that if you do things only because people are making you, then they are in control, but if you don’t do them because someone wants you to, they are still in control. Well, I have bad news for you: according to the Bible, you will be controlled, either #1 By the devil and then get results that lead to death or #2 By God and get results that lead to life. Luke 16:13,: Romans 16:16: There is no such thing as a self-made man, the man who is in control of his own choices. After all, the Lord says, “Without me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
For example, you might find yourself in a relationship with another person who is controlling, and if you choose to minister to that person, they may well think that the only reason you’re doing it is that they are controlling you. But the pertinent question is: does God call you to minister to that person and leave the credit up to him?
One interesting thing I have observed over the years is that teenagers are so desperate to feel that they are in control of their own lives that they ignore the advice of the people who have the most to lose, care for them the most, have invested the most in them, and have the most life experience. They then go with the advice of people who will not be around for very long, who don’t really care about anyone but themselves, and have no life experience. They throw out their parents’ advice just so they can feel like they are the ones making the decision.
Of course, the opposite is true: if you do things that are not healthy and are not godly and do not listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit because friends or family might be upset at you for following God, then that would be wrong. We need to assess the question: God, is this you talking to me through my parents and my family, through my friends, or through people at church? If it is you, God, talking through them, then help me to do it, even though they want me to.
