1 Corinthians 4:7 says, “For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?”
Proverb 21:4 An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.
One of the keys to being thankful is to regularly give credit to the contributions of others who have made you who you are. As the text says “what do you have that you didn’t receive?” Aside from being who we are by the grace of God (1 Corinthians15:10) who among us is not a product of the contributions and influences of others?
You’ve heard the saying, “No man is an island unto himself,” and it is only a self-centered person who does not recognize this. We ought to thank God daily in our prayers for our great grand-parents, grand-parents, parents, brothers, sisters, teachers, pastors, preachers, coaches, fellow-believers, the Body of Christ, the Church, our nation’s forefathers, our nations soldiers….
People who fail to recognize the contribution of others to their life are often full of pride which can manifest in a proud look or demeanor. When the Bible speaks of a high look it is talking about one who in their demeanor give evidence of pride, self-conceit, and vanity. The origin of a high look is a proud heart. All of their labors, endeavors, their business, their occupations because they are in pursuit of their own glory are sin. If our heart is not right with God, our actions will be sinful. God expressly hates the proud heart that gives expression in a high look Proverb 6:16, 17.
We often hear people describe someone that they view as successful as “a self-made man.” There is no such thing as a self-made man unless you can find one that supplied both the sperm and egg, controlled the process of conception, carried themselves for nine months of pregnancy, pushed during the birthing, did the nursing, feeding, wiping, cleaning, changing, transporting, shopping, teaching, training, and educating of themselves. We are all the product of the contributions of others as well as what we have from the Lord as 1 Corinthians 4:7.
CREDIT THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF OTHERS AND STAY THANKFUL
Pastor John Rasicci is the founder and Pastor of Word of His Grace Church in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, where we are building people who are building the Church. Pastor's ministry mission is to help people discover God's dream for their Life, the Local Church, and the Last Days' Harvest. With a strong emphasis on the grace of God and with a prophetic voice, Pastor John preaches and teaches in churches, conferences, and crusades both locally and throughout the world. He has produced books, tapes, and other teaching materials to empower, enable, and equip Believers with the Word of God. Pastor John is married to his wife Candy who with their three children, Krista, Joanna, John Anthony, and two son-in-laws, Matt and Doug, serve together in the ministry. After graduating from Kent State University, Pastor John pursued a career in professional baseball before accepting the call to the ministry. He and his wife, Candy, received their ministry training from Rhema Bible Training Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
John Rasicci 
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