In Humble Service

Friends of Faith:

For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Lk 1: 11

God has a unique way of showing us right from wrong; of humbling us when we feel “good;” of guiding us on HIS path of righteousness; of asking us to learn His wisdom; of guiding us to understand others and of putting us in places which remind us to be more Christlike.

“My child, conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts. Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God. What is too sublime for you, seek not, into things beyond your strength search not.” Sir 3: 17-18, 20

It isn’t easy to humble myself and let God determine if I have done right. I can’t just say I am saved and then make choices that are against God’s law; and being “good” doesn’t save me if I know that Christ wants me to profess to others His life (by living in His footsteps). So I must learn to be faithful and obedient, if that is what I profess to be. I must continue to pray (listen) to God, serve like Christ, discern through the Holy Spirit and ask His Church for guidance.

Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” He answered them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.” …. “For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” Lk 13: 22-30

Like many people I want to be assured that I am saved. I want to know I am right. I have a tendency to judge myself as “deserving” salvation rather than learning the patience, humility and courage that comes from knowing that I must allow God alone to judge me and that I may not always get what I want. I may even have to suffer here on earth to receive the rewards in heaven for DOing the work of BEing a Christian.

“For they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love, yes they’ll know we are Christians by our love.”

God asks us not to love ourselves, but to make ourselves humble by loving Him and loving others. 

Jesus could have been taken the crown of the righteous King of the Jews. Instead he bore a crown of thorns and died on the cross, showing us how to suffer, showing us how to give up everything we want and have by dying to our own selfish desires for the sake of others. And Jesus showed us how to love by allowing God to have the ultimate control that He modeled to us by doing the works of a Christian.

Jesus gave up everything because love doesn’t come from a feeling, love comes from a service, that of serving others, of serving those who have less. Love is shown when the first become last, when those who have give to those who don’t; when those who are first give to those who are last; and when those who have wisdom find compassion – seeking to understand the foolish and downtrodden.

Love is shown in families when we say “I’m sorry for hurting you;” “I will take care of you even when I have something else planned;” “for better, for worse; for richer for poorer; in sickness and in health;” and when we forgive “seven times seventy” the spouse or the child who continues to (by our standards) to make a mess (of their rooms, or their lives). THIS is true love. This is God’s love. This is how God teaches us right from wrong, humbles us and shows us the straight and narrow path.

Heavenly Father, Mold and fashion me into someone who trusts you with humble innocence and a childlike faith. May my faith be so strong that it obeys with courage when I am asked to put my own desires last and others needs first. Help me to find peace in being powerless and joy in giving others the hope of seeing beyond this life into the next. Amen.

Be humble. Be last. Serve others. God will not forsake, for eternal, not earthly, happiness is His promise.

Blessings,

Charlotte

Meek and Humble of Heart

Friends of Faith:

“See, your king shall come to you; a just savior is he, meek, and riding on an ass, on a colt, the foal of an ass.” Zec 9:9

Christ did not come to us as a knight in shining armor riding in on a high horse, but rather he comes to us meek and humble, riding on a lowly ass.

And he did not reveal himself to the haughty and rich, the smart and the learned, but rather to the “little ones.”

“At that time Jesus exclaimed: “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to little ones.” Mt 11: 25-26

He revealed himself to the little ones, because just as any parent is to a child, that is when we are the most trusting, when like a little child I listened, hanging on to their every word, obeying their correction and accepting their love unconditionally.

But as I grow older, I deceive myself into thinking I have become wiser, that I have learned to do everything I need to do, and that “I can do it by myself.”

I often forget that it is through God that I am able to anything, yet alone everything.

Again this is not just today’s verse, for today’s situation, it is everyone’s verse, for every situation.

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” Mt 11: 28-30

So, when I trust in God, when I listen to him, my decisions are easy, because they are his. HE makes my burdens light, he gives me knowledge, courage, strength, understanding and most importantly HE gives me peace.

Heavenly Father, send down your Spirit to ride into my life. Help me to realize that He will not come as a knight in shining armor, but meek and humble—whispering in the night. May I meet Him not on my own high horse, feeling as if I know everything, but rather, may I come to Him as he does to me, riding meekly and mildly, with an open heart, trusting and willing to follow His every command, listening for His whispers in the night. Help me to be His faithful child today. Amen.

This is Stan’s and my prayer as we face the challenges of rebuilding and restoring this week. Piece by piece God gives us answers and what we can handle, making our burden light, giving us an inner peace. Not necessarily taking away the problem, but rather making it not mine/ours, but giving us His answers and His peace to continue forward.

As of today we are still unable to enter the building, pray for our patience and an answer in this area. Our focus this week will be to get the parts that we were able to salvage more readily accessible and to finish building temporary office for our sales and parts departments.

We ask your continued prayers for safety and good health for us and all who are working to help us. And we thank God for the freedoms our nation has bestowed on us that allow us the choices to serve others in a way that honors Him.

I pray that each of you will not deceive yourselves into thinking you can “do it yourselves,” but instead meekly and mildly accept God’s hand in your lives,
Blessings,
Charlotte

"Be" a Humble "Attitude"

Women of Faith:

I have always “cheered” the underdog. Their patience, their never give up attitudes, their faith and trust in a higher power, their hope. They remind me to “be” a humble “attitude.” Yesterday’s readings, especially that of the beatitudes, are favorites of mine because they remind me that when I am most humbled is when Christ is most visibly present in my life.

“Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth, who have observed his law; seek justice, seek humility; perhaps you may be sheltered on the day of the LORD’s anger.” Zep 2:3; 3:12-13

“… God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something …” 1 Cor 1:26-31

“…‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.’” Mt 5:1-12a

I am humbled when I give up control and turn my trust to God. I am humbled when I am persecuted because of my choices to go against the norms of society, choosing the path against “it must be right if everyone else is doing it.” I am humbled when I receive a thank you for a few “right words.” I am humbled when I am the underdog. I am humbled when I remember that I can’t do it all and I have to turn to others for help.

THAT is when the humility of my heart seeks and finds God the closest. That is when my prayers ask for the truly important blessings—that of health, not wealth; that of spiritual comfort, not physical; that of peace, comfort and righteousness, not happiness.

When my “be” “attitude” is humbleness, then all of my fears and sorrows are turned to hope because my trust has turned to seek God’s reward not mans.

I read something yesterday about how we are always looking up, striving for “more,” reaching for new success, and while that is a good goal for the world, it isn’t God’s goal for us. God is closer to me when I am the humble underdog—if I am truly humble and remember to ask Him to be with me.

God blesses those who are on their knees in prayer. He blesses those who are suffering from the pains of loss and illness. He blesses those who serve the poor and lowly. He blesses them because it is in those situations that we are reminded that our rewards are not here on earth, but with Him in heaven.

Do we think we can do no wrong and that our sins will automatically be forgiven just because we believe in God? Is my attitude telling those around me that I am better than they are because my faith is stronger? Am I arrogant and careless in my faith or am I humble and respectful for the “gift” of faith I have received? Do I share that gift in a compassionate way with others or do I “beat” them over the head with it? Or do I hide my gift “under a bushel basket” unwilling to share it because I feel the pressure of the secular culture to keep God private? Are my choices telling God that I am in control, or am I allowing myself to be “weak” so that God can take control?

Heavenly Father, make my “be-attitude” humble. Thank you for being there for my friends and family who suffer illness and sorrow. Thank you for answering my prayers to help the underdogs win. Help them to seek and find comfort and hope by trusting in you. Help me to silently accept my sufferings and graciously give my gifts, not so that I may have earthly rewards, but so that my service will be given humbly and be seen as righteous in heaven. Amen.

Cheer the underdog! Be humble and know that God is near.
Blessings,
Charlotte
www.morningreflection.blogspot.com

Humble Child of God

Women of Faith:

Does it feel like you are “always” last? Like there is never enough time for you, or that the only time you have for you is when you climb into bed at night, or lock yourself into the bathroom for a few minutes?

Do you wish for quiet time, me time, more energy, or that someone would just DO something/anything to help you? Do you feel like you are the doormat, and everyone else is walking on/across you—especially those you love, your spouse and children.

How do those feelings make you treat or react to their needs, your coworkers or others you come into contact with? Do you resent their free time, or even get angry at yourself because of your own “willingness” to be “last,” which as women, wives and mothers we are so good at being—always taking care of others and putting our own needs last. And do I even feel guilty when I happen to have a moment of quiet time to pray or meditate?

Have we forgotten who we are? Who they are? Who our spouse is?

We are all “Children of God?” And God asks us to “be humble and to be last” as he did in today’s readings: Sir 3:17-18, 20, 28-29 ”My child, conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts. Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God.”

(Non Catholic Christians—if you do not know this verse, it is because the Book of Sirach is one of the books of the bible that was “deleted” during the Protestant reformation. The book was deleted because he/Sirach refers to believing in the traditions of the Church—meaning that all things that are true may not be written. If you click on the link you will be able to read the entire book.)

And the gospel, Lk 14:1, 7-14 “For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” This gospel goes on to tell us to put our feelings and needs last so that we won’t be embarrassed when we are asked to “step down.” That doesn’t mean that we are to be doormats. It does mean however, that if we are “putting others before ourselves,” and doing it with grace and love, then we are being “last” exactly as God asked us to be. We are submitting our lives to God (and to our husbands/spouse and children) which is exactly what God calls us to do.

Dear God: Thank you for the gifts you have given me—for letting my husband/spouse be someone who is your Child, for putting your “children” in my care. Make me Humble. Help me to Love humbly without resentment, and with gratitude for the times my love is reflected by my family. Help me to appreciate that my family is part of your family. Help them also to see me as a child of God, so that they appreciate the love I show them. Help me to remember though, that love is not “even,” and that I am to love humbly, regardless of what is returned to me. Amen.

We are all God’s children. We have all been “designed by God.” Let us be humble in our actions and reactions to the children of God by whom we are surrounded. Let us treat God’s children as the gifts you meant them to be.

Blessed be God’s children,
Charlotte