Humbled ...

On Monday I had the tremendous responsibility and honor of interviewing several people who are in the ministry process of moving toward being ordained. In our system they come for a review every year until they are ordained, after that a different system is in effect. So the group of 6 that I was a part of (there were 3 other groups doing interviews) met with a dozen or so individuals. I enjoy being on this committee and take it very seriously, it is a really big deal. The people we met with were all over the place in their journey. Some were coming in for their very first interview, some are half way through and some were in their final review before being ordained. Some were relaxed and some were a nervous wreck. Some were laid back and some were animated. Some were children of people I know and some were older than me. Some were well spoken and some struggled to articulate their thoughts. All of them love the Lord and desire to serve in whatever way he has designed for them.

One interview in particular really got to me. It was fairly early in the day and it messed me up. The person is half way through their educational process and having to do it part time. They are volunteering as an Associate at a small church in the meantime. This person was very emotional while sharing what God is doing in their life and what they hope for the future. This person even asked us to interpret a recent experience they encountered while praying.

I was so moved by this person's humble desire to do what God wants them to do. I was struck that they have not had many advantages but they are still moving forward for the Lord. This person even recently became unemployed in their secular job, as so many others in our state. Yet that has not deterred this person at all.

I sat there with tears in my eyes (like I have now as I type this post) and thought how this person puts me to shame. With all of the advantages I have I didn't feel like I measured up to this person's humble service.

The day was different than I expected. I was impacted in a much different way than I anticipated.

Lord,
Help me to really rely on you for my ministry. Help me to be truly humble in my service. Help me to be a lot more like that brother who sat before me on Monday.