Pride or Praise?

²⁶ Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the people of Ammon, and took the royal city. ²⁷ And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, “I have fought against Rabbah, and I have taken the city’s water supply. ²⁸Now therefore, gather the rest of the people together and encamp against the city and take it, lest I take the city and it be called after my name.²⁹ So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah, fought against it, and took it. ” - 2 Samuel 12:26-29

     This passage completely blows my mind. I can't imagine the effort and pain of fighting and besieging a city only to stop and wait for someone else to come finish it off and take the glory. Joab's dedication to David is amazing. I've been around a lot of guys in my life and if guys are anything, guys are competitive. Another man taking credit for my awesomeness is not acceptable! However, Joab was more concerned about David's name and legacy. Joab was interested in helping and pleasing his king. While some healthy competition between men is perfectly acceptable, me competing with God is never acceptable. Am I like Joab? Am I concerned with helping and pleasing my King? God gets no glory when I boast of my actions. I get no reward when I try to take credit for my accomplishments. God works with those who realize how truly small they are. In the Bible we consistently see "nobodies" becoming powerful men and women of God. Even in the surrounding passages we find everyday men rising to fill the large shoes God has set out for them. When Samuel speaks to Saul about becoming king, Saul replies, “Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak like this to me?” 1 Samuel 9:21 When Samuel goes to anoint a new king, Jesse doesn't even consider David to be a possible option. And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Then he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep.”1 Samuel 16:11 Saul and David both went on to do great things for the Lord. I must keep my pride in check and run the race for God's glory. I fear that I often ruin a perfectly good action by my selfish motivation. I often throw away some glorifying deed for a few seconds of ego-boosting babble. If Joab could be so selfless for a flawed, sinful king, why do I struggle to give the Holy Creator the credit He is worthy of receiving?