Humility is a Verb

Several weeks ago, I helped host a special needs event with some folks at my church. We had about 30 volunteers. I was in awe of one of the other volunteers, her name was Annie. Annie is a photographer for the local papers. She came to take pictures for the event but we ended up not needing her. Many people could have walked away frustrated but Annie went right on helping. If she saw someone needed help, she did it. The last hour of the event, all she did was refill water pitchers. It was one of the most humble acts of kindness that I have seen. Not only was she willing to set aside what she was asked to do, she picked up a menial task and had fun doing it. It was then I realized that humility was not just reflected in the words you say but it is reflected in the actions you take and in what you do.

I carried this thought around with me for several weeks...how to put humility in action. I wasn't sure how to apply this to my life. Then one Sunday, I was worshipping during communion. I stood holding the cup and wafer. The next thing I realized the cracker snapped in my fingers, it was broken. Held in my hand was the broken bread that symbolizes the broken body of my savior...I had broken it. In that moment, I was reminded that is was my sin which brought Christ to die on the cross. His death, his body broken and beaten, was for me, for the sin I commit everyday. I wept for the love, the gift I was given. I wept for the sorrow I cause God, my mighty Father. I was humbled and amazed.

I don't have all the answers. I know that I won't ever be sin free on Earth but I pray I will everyday die to the sin in my life. May I remember the humility of the cross. Humility is a verb. Jesus put it into action and asks that we keep it going.

Broken Hearted

I am often surrounded by those who look and sound different to others. I don't always remember this...so much so I forget that people stare. I forget that kids ask what's wrong with them? Or run away from them...or make fun of them. I cringe when this happens with kids to other kids but I want to jump down the throats when adults do this with kids or even other adults.

I can't even imagine what it feels like for these kids to always have the eyes of others following them. To hear the questions "what's wrong with you?" (which translates "why are you different?", sometimes with an "ooh" gross tagged on the end). To see those around you run away or always tell you what you just did wrong...to be out of place constantly, everywhere.

My heart breaks for them tonight. The pain that other people's brokenness causes is great and sad.

Lord, Tonight I ask you continue to show me the heartache of others. I pray Lord, you grow my compassion and empathy. I ask that you show me the way to loves those around me. Lord, I know my brokenness sometimes smushes in to others. I ask that when this happens you give me the wisdom say I am sorry, the correction to stop it from happening again. Help me love better because I know you love me better. Thank you Jesus.

Construction Miracles

Many months ago (more than I would care to remember), the unnamed "them" began to work on a near-by exit. It's a complicated merge of traffic coming from multiple directions trying to leave in multiple opposite directions, lane after lane of cars crossing over each other. The headache that even the idea of this construction caused was too much to handle and I was ready to exit this crazy commuting world I live in. But several mornings ago as I groaned unable to avoid this head-thumbing zone, I was amazed as I eased through it without teeth pulled or the promise of my first born. My first thought was "Oh I guess 'they' were right. Maybe 'they' know what 'they' were doing." These traffic experts saw a problem, went to work and made it better. Yes there was delays, headaches and probably a little cursing but the end goal of ease in traffic had been found. I guessed next time I will have to trust the road construction warriors and believe things can get better.

I saw parallels in my current life too. I am currently residing in a construction zone in that every area in my life is changing. Everything feels like its up in the air. Nothing eases like the newly worked lanes of that complicated exit. I am going to trust the warrior of my life, my God, that He knows what he is doing as He deconstructs and reconstructs my heart. I pray for the day when I can recognize that things are better. And I hope that I will remember that all this reconfiguring will ultimately bring better communication, a closer relationship with my Agape.

He trained us first, passed us like silver through refining fires, Brought us into hardscrabble country, pushed us to our very limit, Road-tested us inside and out, took us to hell and back; Finally he brought us to this well-watered place. (Psalm 66:10-12 MSG)