Unworthy servants

Our challenge for this morning (and really for the whole day) was to live lives of humility.  A lot of times people associate humility with thinking lowly of yourself. This is not really what it means to be humble.  What it really means is that you are less of a priority.  

We realized that today as the projects were a little more demanding than they had been the previous three days.  Not more physically demanding.  We walked miles upon miles the previous days.  But more spiritually and emotionally demanding.  Today we walked the streets of Tampa, in places like Ybor (the original settlement of the city) or the Salvation Army or Amazing Love Homeless outreach.  Our goal was specifically to approach people through servant evangelism and hand them a sack lunch or bag of popcorn and strike up a conversation.  Then we would learn their names, their stories and offer to pray for them.  The situations were ones that many of us had never been in before, and that many people had to work through as they continued to learn about themselves: what they enjoy and what is difficult for them.

I challenged the students (just like every conference or trip) that the goal is not to have a great experience on the field, but to take what we learned home. To live it out once we get back.  This is the real challenge.  See we often go through life without the sharp focus that we have on a trip like this one.  This focus is something we need to learn live out though.  A focus where God's name is made great, and we are less of a priority.  One where we are more concerned that people see Jesus, than we are with our own needs or desires.

1 Peter says it this way: "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.  Be sober minded; be watchful.  Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experience by your brotherhood throughout the world."

I always pictured Satan prowling around trying to get us to sin, and do some horrible thing.  But what if his prowling nature was simply trying to get us to think of ourselves more than others.  To live with a lack of humility.  What if Satan was trying to get us forget that God needs to have priority in our lives and that if he can make us exalt our own needs and preferences above God's then he has "found someone to devour?"  What if this battle to live a life of humility is a bigger deal than we think?

The challenge I know I'm leaving with is to live a life of greater humility.The  needs and wants of others, and especially the calling of God on my life need to get top priority.  My prayer for all of us is from Luke 17.10 when Jesus says, "So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, 'We are unworthy servant;  we have only done our duty.'"