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Why Your Credits Don't Transfer to the Kingdom

Transferring credits can be a maddening process.

I experienced this once. I started seminary in one place and then we moved to start the church, so I had to end up changing schools. And sure enough, some of the credits that I earned at the first school wouldn’t transfer to the other. It was frustrating.

There’s a similar credit transfer problem that happens in the Kingdom of God when it comes our accomplishments. It can be even more frustrating and maddening, but here it’s actually very understandable.

The credits of men on Earth don’t transfer to the Kingdom of God. What I mean is that just because the world says you’re successful doesn’t mean you’ve impressed God one bit.

God really doesn’t care about how much money you’ve earned.
Where you’ve gotten your degree from.
Or what letters make up the title in front of your name.

The things that we think are major accomplishments aren’t to God.

For at least two reasons.

First, it’s kind of hard to brag to a God who spoke the universe into existence. I just can’t see God being blown back by our résumé. Especially when the source of all of our accomplishments is Him. Also, it’s kind of insulting to His grace to think that any amount of achievement could earn the love and favor that has already been achieved for you.

Second, I don’t think God is looking for the same things we are. If you take a cursory look through the Bible, these were the kinds of people and things that stood out to Him:

A young shepherd on the backside of nowhere whose heart was after Him. (1 Samuel 16)

I’m not saying you need to downgrade your job. Or make yourself poor. Or that your success and accomplishments can’t be used for God’s glory.

I’m just saying that you shouldn’t assume that you’re at the front of the line to be used for His glory because of them. Besides, in God’s order of things, the front isn’t necessarily where you want to be anyways:

So the last will be first, and the first will be last.
Matthew 20:16