You're Not Worth Beans

It's amazing how moving can suck the life and time out of you. First, you spend your free time packing, then you move the stuff and then you spend the rest of your life unpacking. Okay, okay, total hyperbole, but that would be an explanation as to why I haven't posted of late.

For whatever reason, this month I've been sensitive to the pride in my heart. It probably started when I read Stuart Scott's "From Pride to Humility" and I was made aware of the different ways pride disguises itself as a noble cause.

Many years ago, I read the short picture book, "The Tale of Three Trees" and was moved to tears because of its message about the humility of Christ. The story starts off with three trees that talk about their grandiose plans for the future: one wants to become a beautiful box and hold precious treasure, the next tree wants to sail on water and carry powerful kings and the last one wants to stand tall so that when people see him, they'll think of God. To the three trees' chagrin, they are used for different purposes than what they had dreamed of doing. However, the first tree realizes that when he is made into a manger, he will hold the most precious treasure in the world. The second tree is humbled as he carries the man who just silenced the storm on the Sea of Galilee and realizes that He is the King of Kings. The third tree is sorely disappointed when he gets chopped down because he can't stand tall anymore. After being made into a cross, he realizes that when people see him, they will think of God.

Many years ago, I was at a party for some singles from church. I met an attorney and carried a conversation with him for a long time. I asked him where he was serving in the church and he told me that he wasn't at the time. I encouraged him to serve his fellow believers in his local church. He talked about not being able to find a place where he felt his gifts would be best used and I reminded him that if there is a need and we are able to fulfill it, then we should do it. I wasn't stating, "Hey, if your church needs a pastor and you can do it, then fulfill it" rather, if there is a physical need in the church, go and by all means, fulfill it, including cleaning the toilets at church. I was stunned with the words that next came out of his mouth: I would never clean toilets, I wasn't meant to clean toilets. I didn't go to law school to clean toilets.

I sat there shocked and our conversation turned into a "We'll just agree to disagree" resolution.

Didn't Jesus (oh yes, He was the King of the Universe) wash the feet of his disciples? Didn't the King of ALL Kings (oh yes, the long-awaited Messiah) humble himself by leaving His father's side to become a baby so that He could save the scum of the world? Didn't the Wonderful Counselor (oh yes the Creator of this world) talk with the despised Samaritan woman at the well? With this being said, how could we NOT serve Him in ANY way that He wants for us?

As a single person, I am humbled because I know that what I have to offer to the most precious Treasure, is not worth a single cent. But, as a single person I know that God has called me to offer whatever I am able to do. Professionally, I am a high school teacher. I went to school, took many tests and I paid thousands of dollars to get to where I am today. However, these things didn't come about without the Lord- my talents and my strengths are from Him. While we are called to use our gifts, God also calls us to meet the needs of our fellow brothers and sisters.

I think it's pretty universal to say that we are at our ugliest when we are with our family rather than with friends. We are also more apt to show love and acts of kindness to our friends rather than family because we know that there are some in our family that don't "deserve" our acts of service. Isn't this the way we are in the church sometimes? We pick and choose who "deserves" and is worthy of our service when Christ didn't show favoritism to those around Him. Sometimes we'll even go to great lengths to say, "I wasn't meant to clean toilets, I was meant to serve God in greater ways because I can offer so much more with what He has given me-I wouldn't want to waste my gifts".

Pride disguises itself in the most noble of ways. Humility is when we have an open heart to love and serve wherever and whenever God wants us in ANY capacity. Jesus was our example and He kind of had an idea of who He was and the talents He possessed, but that didn't stop Him from doing the lowliest of tasks. We aren't God's gift to mankind-He is and yet, He was the humblest of the humble.

If you're a single Christian, let me encourage you by saying this: we are called to more acts of service because we have more time to devote to Him rather than our spouse. If you're a Christian and you aren't serving your local church, pray about ways in which you can meet the needs of others at your local church. Feeding the hungry at your local food pantry is great, but what about your brothers and sisters in Christ? When was the last time you fed them with your love?

Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant,^b being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross-Philippians 2:3-8

O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me-Psalm 131:1

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight-Romans 12:16

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned-Romans 12:3

For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?-I Corinthians 4:7

John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven-John 3:27

Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days-Ephesians 11:1

And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward-Matthew 10:42