The face of humility is ever-changing. It is present in a variety of situations that allow me to see the grace of God. Sometimes it is subtle while other times it slaps me in the face. However, it is always timely.
Last night, my family volunteered to serve dinner to a ministry that provides services for the homeless and others in need. I thought it would be the ideal opportunity to have my boys see that there are struggles beyond our four walls. You know, the usual “be grateful for what you have” mentality, but I was the one who had the spiritual awakening.
There was a sense of guilt on my part that I was doing this for all the wrong reasons. That it was almost a “look at us being charitable” because this isn’t something that we do on a regular basis. It was the opposite of humility. But then, it happened. That moment where the voice of God was heard through one of the diners that we were serving. We were on dessert duty and I asked a young man if he wanted more than one. His response was that “he didn’t want to be greedy”. I held back the emotion that was bubbling. I smiled at him and put another cookie on his plate. The face of humility was that man, who has next to nothing, concerned that he would appear greedy if he took more than one cookie.
So, my thinking that this act of service was for my children was dead wrong. It was more for me. I am the one who needed that glimpse of God. The shift in my perception is always hinged on the openness of my heart. I have already committed to going back and being of service. Those individuals gave me something I was lacking….a dose of humility blanketed with unconditional acceptance. My hope for 2017 is that I can share the gift that was given to me last night through all my exchanges with others. I still have a lot to learn, but my willingness doesn’t waiver.
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