Why Integrity Matters in Children's Ministry - Give Credit Where it is Due

I've been writing about integrity and Children's Ministry and have looked at if we are people who do what we say we will do and who do not gossip. You know, it truly matters if we are people who show the highest integrity if we are Christians; it matters even more when we are people who are leaders in Children's Ministry, because if we do not show this type of integrity, we harm others and damage our ministry. 

When Jesus was on Earth, He didn't condemn sinners; He ate with them, talked with them and showed them God's love. He did, however; condemn religious leaders who did not show integrity - He said they were hypocrites. In fact, He had a lot to say about them and none of it was positive, so if we think for even a moment, it does not really matter if we are "lax" with our integrity, we are definitely mistaken. It matters, so, today let's think about being people who do not take credit for what others think of or do. When might we do this? Consider the following . . . 

• A volunteer or parent has an idea and you like it, "take it over" and present it to others as if it were your idea.
• When someone compliments some part of your ministry which was carried out by someone else, rather than give "credit" to that person, you accept it for yourself.

There may be other times this happens, but regardless of when or why we take credit for what others think of or do, we need to know doing this damages our ministry and leaves us as people who can not be trusted. Look at Romans 13:7 -

Pay your obligations to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor. 

Look also at Matthew 7:12 -

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. 

Do not take credit for something someone else thinks of or does. Give honor to those who it is due to; to those who thought of or did something. Treat others as you want to be treated. These things are basic, but sometimes we overlook the "basic" things. We must be people whose lives and ministry show an absolutely commitment to integrity.