Who Gets the Credit?

The county fair had a contest: Who could grow the biggest pumpkin?

Young Jimmy was excited, because all year he had cultivated and fertilized the soil in his garden so that it could really produce some great results. The largest pumpkin on record weighed over a ton, but Jimmy was just a small-scale junior farmer in a remote area—so he would be happy just to be able to win the local contest. With great hopes and Dad’s help in lifting, the boy loaded his biggest pumpkin onto his wooden wagon and pulled it down the dirt road to the county fair.

Sure enough, when Jimmy presented the giant pumpkin, the scales tipped the balance as the heaviest pumpkin in the contest. But wait—much to Jimmy’s shock, suddenly neighbor Sandra Sue claimed that that was her pumpkin on the scale, not Jimmy’s. So, the judges had to vote a tie because they weren’t exactly sure whose pumpkin it really was.

Jimmy’s spirit was crushed. He went home to talk with Mom about it.

“I was the creator of that pumpkin, not Sandra Sue,” Jimmy cried. “I can’t believe that happened after all my hard work!”

Mom gave Jimmy a comforting hug. Then she slowly asked, “But wait, Jimmy. Who was the creator of the pumpkin?”

“I was. . . . Oh, I suppose it was God. But I was an important part of the picture.”

“I understand your frustration, Jim,” said Mom. “Really I do. . . . But just imagine how Jesus feels when people try to make Him a ‘junior’ instead of recognizing Him as Creator.

“Jesus—the Creator? I thought God the Father was the Creator and that Jesus was only the Son of God,” said Jimmy.

“Remember the Scriptures,” said Mom. “‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. . . . And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth’ (John 1:1–3, 14). The Word made flesh is Jesus, of course. There are also other verses that explain His creative power—for example, Hebrews 1:1, 2 and Colossians 1:12–17. Plus, at creation ‘the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters’ (Genesis 1:2) as well.”

Jimmy thought for a minute, then said: “I suppose if Jesus doesn’t always get credit for His work, I’m in good company. The Godhead made everything. I just missed out on getting the top honor at a pumpkin contest. That’s nothing to complain about compared to what Jesus went through.”

“You’re right, Jimmy,” Mom continued, “I’m so glad you understand that—and you’ll always be happier and blessed for thinking of things that way. . . . Now let’s make some pie with all those fresh pumpkins you harvested!”