He’s God of the pots and pans, and according to him, my “kitchen” needs updating. He finds my humility cracked and my backlash too aggressive
“A fresh coat of my peace and love for your fellow man will do wonders.”
His hand brushes across the rough edges.
“What will it cost and how long it would take?” I try to sound enthusiastic, but all I can think about is my plans for the day.
“It will take a lifetime and you won’t be able to afford the cost.”
I look into his face.
“You’re kidding aren’t you?”
“Nope. But today is your lucky day. I’m running a special deal. My son will do all the work. You just have to be willing to be torn apart. We’ll start with your pride.”
Ouch! There it is.
Humility.
A quiet word that is seldom seen in action.
I can SAY a lot about humility. It’s the “doing” part that gets tricky.
We have all heard the Willie Nelson version of the Davis Mac song, “Oh Lord it’s hard to be humble when you’re perfect in every way.”
There are also some less well-known words about humility.
“Never let the world break in,
Fix a mighty gulf between;
Keep me humble and unknown,
Prized and loved by God alone.”
This poem, meshing humility with daily work, was a favorite of my father.
Unto Thee
Not for the eyes of men
May this day’s work be done,
But unto thee, O God.
That with the setting sun,
My heart will know the matchless prize
Of sure approval in Thine eyes.
Thomas Curtis Clark
The best source of instruction about humility can be found in the Bible. In Peter’s letter to early Christians, he stresses humility as a highly regarded character trait of a good Christ follower. (Remember? He learned a lot about humility in his walk with Christ.)
In 1st Peter 5:5-7, I like how the Amplified bible details his words.
“…Clothe (apron) yourselves, all of you, with HUMILITY (as the garb of a servant so that the covering cannot possibly be stripped from you, with freedom from pride and arrogance) toward one another.
For God sets Himself against the proud (the insolent, the overbearing, the disdainful, the presumptuous, the boastful—and He opposes (frustrates and defeats) them, but gives grace (favor blessings) to the HUMBLE.
Therefore HUMBLE yourselves (demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation) under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you.”
In these verses, the “remodeling” of a life designed by God features humility. God graciously concerns Himself with not only tearing out the bad pride in me but also replacing the bad with GOOD things—those actions described in verse seven. Instead of exhibiting pride by being insolent, overbearing, disdainful, presumptuous, and boastful, I can DO SOMETHING good. By prayer and trust, I can be humble and give my concerns to God as I surrender my will to His.
“Casting the whole of your care (all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all) ON HIM, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.”
I don’t have to become obnoxiously worked up against others and push my agenda when plans are not going the way I think they should, BECAUSE God is masterfully involved in EVERY situation that touches my life.
In another area, the part of me that hungers in a prideful impatient way to make a significant notable contribution to the world, I remember the words attributed to St. Teresa of Avila, “The Lord walks among the pots and pans.”
No matter what I do, whether dish washing or churning out the newest great American novel, God has already magnificently edged me out of the “greatest contribution” race. He sent Christ.
St. Teresa also said, “If you are able, you should occupy yourself in looking at Christ who is looking at you, and you should speak, and petition, and humble yourself, and delight in the Lord’s presence, and remember that you are unworthy of being there.”
Finally, there are these words by Eugene Cho from his book Overrated. http://areyouoverrated.com/
“In the barren landscape of those uncertain times, there’s often a prime opportunity to pause. There’s prime opportunity to pray and to listen for the voice of God speaking comfort and assurance through uncertainty. We need to allow God to break us. We need to escape our self absorbed blindness and see life illuminated in the light of God.”
Hooray!
Let the demolition begin!
My remodeling day has arrived, orchestrated by a God who is as familiar with the world of pots and pans as He is the heavens.