Devotion: Humility
Humility
Please read the scriptures from the weekend: Philippians 2:5-11
If you didn’t catch Pastor Michelle’s message from the weekend, I suggest you go immediately to the website and catch it. The subject of being “Humble” and Humility brought both laughter in the wheelbarrow story and deep thought in connecting our lives to being “Christ-like”. In a recent news story incident in Florida with an air-traffic controller and the passenger who became the pilot after the original pilot had a medical emergency. Wow, I remember hearing about that on the news. The humble comment from the air traffic controller, “The passenger was the hero, I was just doing my job!” Let those words sink in a moment; He was “just doing his job”. Not considering whether he himself would be a hero in this moment.
Scriptures are full of examples of people just “doing their job”. David and Goliath, was one that first came to mind. Did David consider that he would be hailed a hero after bringing down the giant Goliath? Did Noah consider the enormity of the “job” he was taking on or was he just “doing what God asked him to do”? And Ruth’s only consideration was continuing to care for her aging mother-in-law. All these people and more didn’t consider heroism, but a heartfelt desire to do something that needed to be done. To be Christ to their fellow man.
My favorite term for these folks in these times is “role models”. People with the kind of demonstrated humility that breeds others to act in the best interest of our fellow man, woman or even children. My daughter, Nicki has a home child care program and her grandchildren (my great-grandchildren) are daily subjected to her bits of wisdom and caring. One day as Liam was asking for a chip from his mom at home, he was refused. To which he answered, “Mommy, ‘sharing is caring” in a sing-song voice. He responded with one of Nicki’s platitudes about sharing with others. She was being Liam’s role model in order to teach him “pro-social behaviors” (to quote Pastor Michelle) probably without thought of whether she was a hero. How often are you witness such behaviors or considered them an act of humility? Even someone holding the door for an elderly person becomes in small ways, a hero to that person for their act of kindness. To that “pro-social behavior” modeled.
We are called by God to this behavior by what He lays on our hearts. The seeds He plants in us. To grow behaviors that teach and show others this model of what a hero really looks like. Behaviors done without the consideration of the outcome it produces except that someone’s “load” may be lightened. My favorite verse says in Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light so shine, that others may see it and glorify our Father in Heaven.” Not us but, to give glory to God for planting that seed.
Most holy Father,
You are the source of ALL our needs. And you sent your precious son Jesus to be the role model for our lives. Plant in our hearts the desire to be of service to others as we see the need arise without thought to our own gratification. Let Christ be seen in all we do to Your glory. Amen.
Written by Fran Baatz
Fran has been a lifelong member of Sheridan as the first baby girl to be baptized back in 1953 as her parents were charter members.
She loves to serve as a part of the Hospitality team as well as one of the Sheridan quilting teams. She is also a member of Lydia Circle.
Fran has four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren she adores as well as her two daughters.