Glory

I enjoy giving my kids nice things.  To see their faces light up warms my
heart, and to see them living well by my provision gives me satisfaction
and joy.  However, if my child takes something from me without asking, I
am not happy, and if he or she were to steal, for example, cash from my
wallet to buy a toy or a hamburger, I would be very unhappy.

The Bible talks in similar terms about God's glory.  On the one hand, he
says "I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to
another..." Isa 42:8.  If we attempt to keep for ourselves the glory that
belongs to God, we dishonor Him and He is righteously angry.  However, if
we yield ourselves to Him and give Him glory for all the wonderful things
he has done, Peter says we "also will share in the glory to be revealed" 1
Peter 5:1 and we "will receive the crown of glory that will never fade
away." 1 Peter 5:4

We humans have, since the Fall, by nature been prone to stealing from God
what is His, especially glory.  However, if we humble ourselves before Him
He will exalt us (Matt 23:12).

As our Lord said, "If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father,
whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me." John 8:54  Yet I
think this is true for His servants as well.  Glory we take for ourselves
amounts to nothing in the end.  The glory He gives us as participants in
His own glory ... means everything.