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It’s been a good week (January 7 – 12, 2019, after Clemson won the National Championship on Monday). I wore my Clemson colors all day Monday through Wednesday, and on Tuesday and Wednesday, I was amazed at how many greetings I got! “Good job!” “Your guys were great!” “Congratulations!” Most of these were from total strangers. No question, it feels good to win!

But I can’t take the personal accolades seriously—I didn’t do anything! While I tell myself that wearing orange way out here in Colorado helps the team, the fact is my total contribution to this season’s success is zero. I’m reminded of Galatians 6.3, 4:

For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor.

I knew of a church where it was common to hear, “I’m glad to be part of a church that…” has a prison ministry or helps the poor or sends out relief teams to disaster areas… It’s great to be part of such a church, to be sure, but I am accountable for what I do, not for what people around me do. 

I’m proud to be part of The Navigators, but the question isn’t, “What are The Navigators doing?” Instead, it’s, “Bob, who are you investing in?” Or as my Navigator hero Skip Gray used to say, “Where’s your fruit?”

So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. (Romans 14.12)