In our society the word “humbled” often means putting someone in their place: Ex. “I sure humbled Jack! I showed him his place in life!” I don’t know if this is the best way to win folks over to your side, by “putting them in their place”. I think there are better ways, but I also understand “There is a time for every purpose, under heaven!” (I can hear the tune, can you). I have done this so many times in my life, putting them in their place feels good, for a minute. To be honest, sometimes it’s the only thing left in some situations. I usually reserve this approach to the defense of others. 

Is it ok to “call out” a person for treating another person in a less than Christian manner? I think it is not just ok, I see it as our duty in life as a Christian. I think the Bible is very clear that we should not back off of this! Approaching it with love, kindness and understanding… but never “not address injustice”.

Or maybe you are more like Moses?

Humbling yourself before the Lord? In other words, knowing  the truth of where you actually fit into the narrative? I think we all like the idea of knowing the truth of where we actually fit in hierarchies and social orders. We may not like it or maybe we won’t even accept it, we may strive to change it or we just sit back and whine a bit… but I do think we should find comfort in truth, even uncomfortable truth.

Well, yesterday I sat down in the hallway at Sam’S Place… I just sat down and felt the need to pray, not for anything, not about anything but just sit down and say “THANK YOU GOD”. thank you for all the hands that help, thank you for the purpose in life, thank you for everything you are accomplishing here, thank you for the volunteers, donations and help.

I realize that God is ultimately the one driving the bus, and I realize I am given the job of tour guide. I realize that everyone on the bus sees me standing in front and giving the speech of where we are and describing the scene outside… But I can’t control where the bus goes. Or how fast we are going. Or even the bumps, lanes and hills… All I can do is pay attention to where we are and do my best to translate the scene to those that are taking the tour with us. 

So, back to the hallway, I sat down, remembered the tour… the volunteers that painted, the skilled labor, the unskilled labor… THE DREAMS WE HAVE vs THE REALITY WE GET! As I sat there, my friend Wayne approached from the stairway behind me, placed his hand on my shoulder, just knowing people care is enough to sustain me and give me hope. I know God is ever present in this project. Is that what humility feels like? Making me well up inside with the joy that surpasses all understanding? GOD has this. I just need to climb those steps, one more time. 

I felt God’s presence at Sam’s Place yesterday, as I have many days before, but yesterday was somehow different. I couldn’t help but wonder who it was that stopped in their day and prayed for me, but I know somebody had done just that. There was some faith filled prayer warrior out there, praying for me, and I knew it. So I too stopped, and I just said “Thank you”.

I don’t pray often enough, that I know… I also don’t pray that God teaches me “humility” or “patience” or “faith”… perhaps I should? But those prayers are life lessons I try to avoid, I trust God gives me what I need to do his will, so I pray that often. “Teach me your will, Reveal your will and Provide for me the means to carry out your will” I figure, that’s enough for now.

So, for today, I ask you to pray for us to be successful in wrapping up at Sam’s Place, we are very close to opening the first wing, VERY close… but I think the next step may need more prayer than all the days that have led us to this point in time… filling this old building with people to love and care for. 

How do we take the next step? What is the next step?

I am reminded of this verse:

James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

The way I read this verse is that there are folks that have nobody left (widows) and folks that nobody takes care of (orphans), regardless of age, regardless of social status, regardless of ability… to “visit” them doesn’t mean to go to where they live and have them cook dinner for me… it means to cloth them, feed them, give them a home, To LOVE your your neighbor as yourself… to give and provide…….. “ I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

The humble heart is a thing of beauty.

Merry Christmas, Charlie.