“Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.”
Proverbs 27:2

“I don’t ask for much. I just want a little credit. I at least deserve a little appreciation.” Has this thought has ever passed through (or more likely, taken root) in your mind? If so, it is one more evidence that you were included in the great fall. Of all the devastation that resulted from the fall, the problem with praise and credit stands out as chief. As created beings, we were created to delight in reflecting praise to our Creator. But we were also created to be satisfied, as man and woman were made to complement, benefit, and enjoy one another in harmony and edification. But, as Romans 1 outlines, we exchanged the glory(praise, thanksgiving) of God because we wanted more for ourselves. And instead of satisfaction, we only know frustration. We want to be noticed, appreciated, commended, respected, and valued. In measure, these things are appropriate and good. But they are never enough. Have you ever known the embarrassment of complaining to your wife that she doesn’t appreciate the things you do, and then she reminds you that five minutes earlier she thanked you for taking out the trash? I have. Our greed for praise is insatiable, and it divides. It spurs jealousy, unfaithfulness, and division. If you are frustrated at the lack of credit you are receiving, can I point you to the cross of Jesus Christ? At the cross, we find that we are not deficient in credit for our goodness, but we are actually deficient in anything that is worthy of praise. But also at the cross, we find all the credit we could ever want in the justifying righteousness of Jesus Christ that is ours through His blood. It is in finding our identity in Christ that we can find joy even if we are never noticed or appreciated the way we would like to be.