That
leaves her to get not only her, but our five year old son, up, cleaned, dressed,
fed, out the door and into the church building, to the right classroom. It is not like she doesn’t have anything to
do once she gets there. She teaches a
Sunday school class with one youth attending.
Sounds so easy, until one realizes how specialized and specifically
directed the lesson has to be. Did I
mention that she I also the worship leader?
But
enough about her, because the story is about me and my routine. After waking up and getting ready, I kiss her
goodbye and head to the building. Whether
walking or driving, I now follow the road at the edge of the Pacific
Ocean. It is only about five blocks to
the church building.
Arriving
at the building, I will turn on the lights and the heat, if needed, in the
sanctuary and the other class rooms. I
will then go into my office keeping the lights off and turn up my music
compilation as loud as I choose. I will
look over my notes for the day and just listen, praise, worship.
I
like music loud. I like music that
either drives me to my knees, or brings me to my feet. I like a more rock beat and words that
challenge me and lines that pierce deep into my heart and soul. (As I write this, Rich Mullins “I See You” is
blaring.) I have never been one for the
fluffy, la-la-la everything is great kind of song. I seem to have a bent for the desperate.
I
have served in or been on the pastoral staff of every church I have been a part
of since becoming a Christ follower.
They have been contemporary. They
have been traditional. They have been
cutting edge. (I personally like cutting edge, but timing is everything
there).
In
all of those, I have seen eager and willing workers. I have seen quality and professional workers.
I have seen old hometown and “it’s good enough” workers. I have prayed for God to bring the energetic
and younger workers when needed. I have
prayed for the technical perfect musicians and artists when needed. I have prayed for those with knowledge and capable
and able teachers when needed.
And
let me tell you, when you get those, and sometimes all of those in your church,
well, look out world! And what church
wouldn’t want energy, youth, willingness, quality, technical, knowledge and
capable? Just imagine what we could do!
So,
pondering my routine, that I have done for about a year, reflecting on my message, listening to music
that I have chosen, and praying for this little church, and imploring the Lord
to bring the qualified to us, I realized that that there is an awful lot of us,
we, and I going around.
In
reflection, the better prayer is for humility.
For myself, first. Then for the
congregation. And then, for God to bring
humble workers, humble servants, humble leaders. Now that’s an ability to desire in people.
Humility
is not achieved by doing it, by learning how to do it, by reading books on
it. The only way to achieve humility is
to not focus on it. But rather, focus on
Jesus and focus on others. As long as
us, we, and I are more important than Him and you, it matters not what other
qualities and talents are brought to the table.
Think
of those whom God used. A shepherd, a
maiden, a fisherman, a man hiding from the enemy army, a prisoner. Humility is the strongest weakness that one
can possess. It can’t be earned. It can
be learned, however. It does grow in us,
as the Lord transforms us.
We
too quickly forget that our salvation is a grace gift given by the Most Gracous
One. We also forget that our spiritual
maturity is up to Him as well. Our part
in all of it is to humbly receive. As we
submit and subject ourselves to His Lordship and control, He makes us into a “little
Christ”. And that term is called
Christian or Christ follower.
The
first church I was a part of as a follower had for it slogan “Share His
Adventure”. That occurs by following.
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