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I'm dealing with humility....and honesty.....and following God.....
No big deal......just the very core of who I am, what God has called me to do, and how I conduct myself.....and sure...why not just share it with the whole world? Isn't that what everyone does?
Humility is an odd thing....if you think you're being humble....are you then actually not being humble?
My son received the "character award" at his Christian high school for having the most humble spirit....being the kind of mother that I was, I told him he had to give it back...yep....I really did......
He knew I was joking...we still laugh about "Winning the award for humility...."
True Biblical humility is not thinking of yourself as a worthless slug....as a continual sinner.....or of less value than others.....
C. S Lewis said, "Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less."
But it has occurred to me recently that one of the keys to living humbly is just keeping your mouth shut! I don't know who said this, but I love this quote-
"The biggest challenge after success is shutting up about it."
Keeping your mouth shut is not an easy thing for someone who is anointed to talk......like........preachers....
And in case you didn't know....I am one!
Talking is what I do....I came out of the womb talking....Out of 8 children in my family, I was known as the family "newspaper." My dad would get home from work, and I would run into his arms, giving him the details of every little thing that happened that day....yeah....my brothers loved that....NOT!
My teachers saw it in me....when I memorized a poem in first grade, they paraded around that little Catholic school....classroom to classroom....to perform....those precious nuns were so proud of my ability to stand in front an audience and speak dramatically....no wonder those kids didn't like me!!!
I entered speech tournaments in high school.... if I wasn't so concerned about being humble right now, I'd tell you how I did in them...... :-)
Shutting up is not in my DNA.........But it has become an acquired skill..... one that I am continuing to develop........
So....when other preachers tell me about their ministry engagements or their travels with well known, "Rock star" preachers.....I want to compete! I want to get in the game.......I mean, I can drop some names and places too, ya know........."Yea....well I....."
Then I hear that little voice (aka Holy Spirit) inside of me say, "SHUT UP....NOW!"
When I listen to that voice I walk away knowing I won the battle of humility....this time....Yeah....stay humble....stay in the background.....stay in your house in the sugar cane fields of south Louisiana.....You, Gloria Brintnall, have just won the award for humility......
OR am I just using humility as an excuse to hide in the sugar cane fields of southern Louisiana??????
I recently heard a very successful pastor say, "We tend to confuse humility with fear." UGH....WHY....DID....HE....HAVE....TO....SAY....THAT?
I thought I had this humility thing all figured out.....Thanks a lot!!!
As an itinerant minister, you have to put yourself out there....to even call a pastor and say, "Hey I'll be in your area next month. Is there any way I can help you? Can I come and preach for you?" When you do that, you are opening yourself to rejection....a lot....so....I've had to ask myself.....
Is it just more palatable to say that I am staying humble.....by not "promoting myself"....and thus not opening myself to rejection?
You might be in a similar predicament.....
Do you have a product to sell....but you are afraid that the customer won't buy? So....you reason...."I'm staying humble by letting the other sales people get the sale?"
Has God give you a vision for a business....but you think you're not qualified? So...you think..."I don't know....that business might draw me away from God"
Do you want to begin to invest so that you can increase financially....but you don't want to deal with possible risks? So...you say...."Rich people are never humble."
Is there a relationship you need to establish....but you think you might be rejected? So...you shy away and hide yourself under the guise of humility....because....you're not good enough?
Don't let fear disguise itself as humility in your life.....
God created you to do something great....something that is specific to YOU!
You CAN do great things....AND STILL BE HUMBLE....
Don't let fear of failure or fear of rejection to keep you from doing what God has called you to do.
There may be moments of failure; there will likely be rejection....but if God called you to do it, He will see you through it....
True humility is obeying God. It is doing what He said to do, whether it is comfortable or not. It is casting all your care on Him because He cares for you. It is giving Him the glory for any and all success....
So after your success....you don't have to shut up about it....BUT YOU DO HAVE TO GIVE ALL THE GLORY TO GOD....
AND.......ENCOURAGE OTHERS THAT GOD IS NO REPSECTER OF PERSONS....IF HE DID IT FOR YOU....HE WILL DO IT FOR THEM!
Now THAT'S deserving of an award for humility..... :-)
Humility and fear of the Lord bring wealth, and honor, and life.....Proverbs 22:4 NIV
If you know someone who would benefit from this blog, please share it....
I'll blog ya next week....and in the meantime....do something today to fulfill your purpose!
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