Day 299 - Stay Humble

"It is a privilege to do what I do. I do not take it lightly that the Lord has placed me in front of thousands of people to preach His word. This is my calling and highest honor to pastor people in San Bernardino. After the third service I saw a couple from our church walking to the bus stop with their leftovers from the cafe and their sodas in hand. They said hello and were so happy to see me. They asked for a ride and at first I said I had to get home to my family but then I felt the Lord reminding me of His word that if I had done it to the least of these I had done it into Him. So I pulled over and invited them in. The conversation was pleasant. The husband would say something and then finish with “That's good huh?” Most of what I responded was, “Yes it is”. As I was driving them to their apartment I noticed the people of San Bernardino walking around. Some with carts, some wandering, some yelling at people, some yelling at no one. My heart breaks for them. Most were stuck in a rut they don't even know they are in. Many wouldn't want to get out if they could...

...Tonight while walking in to the evening service I met a man who was walking in to church with his two kids. I said hello to him and asked him how he was and he looked at me and stayed quiet. His eyes welled up with tears and he started to shake his head a little. He then burst into complaints and frustration over his relationship with his wife. Things just weren't working out. I listened and then encouraged him and told him God wants his marriage healthy. I encouraged him to listen to the message and that God would speak a specific word to him regarding his marriage even though the subject would be missions. I prayed and sent him on to get his children checked in and get to church. The next time I saw him he was running towards me with a smile on his face like we had an inside joke going and I knew what he was going to tell me. I almost couldn't wait to ask what God had said and he couldn't wait to tell me. I beat him to it and asked and he responded that right in the middle of the message the pastor stopped and said "It is not God's will for you to get a divorce!" and went on with what he was preaching. I vaguely remembered it from the message out of John 4. He heard it loud and clear. It gave him hope and confidence to believe God and work on the problem."

It is significant that I wrote these words one year ago. I see how my calling as a pastor has made me who I am and led me to many stories like these two I share here today. I am humbled to be where I am at doing what I do. 

One year after I typed these words I had my Sr. Pastor pray for me and I became the Sr. Pastor of our church. I can only say that God knows what He is doing and His plan greater than ours will ever be. I had rock star dreams as a young man. My plan would have been stardom and fame. I thought I needed that sort of platform to speak to people and be effective for the kingdom. How wrong I was. All I needed was to faithfully follow God, as I have over the years, and God gives more grace. His ability and power has made what I am today. 

Humility is more than being hidden or soft spoken. In fact when I read the Bible I imagine that Jesus was at times outspoken and there are scriptures that say He could not be hidden. I know that Jesus was humble so that means our definition must be a bit off. Really what humility means is to be dependent on God. Jesus depended on the power of the Spirit and the direction of God. That is why He was baptized and went by Himself to pray was so He could follow the will of the Father. 

It is no different with us. As we hear God's voice and follow Him we will have His pleasure and the power of the Spirit upon our lives. Not because we are so good but because He is so good. 

Stay humble. 

How does it make you feel when you think about what God has done for you? How blessed are we to be able to minister to others?