Humility

Humility
By Tommy Franks

What is true humility? How many times have you visited a church, a company,
a university, corporation, or other organization...and found very few parking spaces available? Why? Because the pastor/priest, assistant pastor, president of the company, CEO, or chief bottle washer had his own parking space in front of the building?

The trend of our society today is simply this: “The lowly customer or church parishioner can fend for himself and find his own parking space. After all, we are doing him a big favor by being here and providing services to him and for him. He should be grateful to us!”

Many of our utility companies, banks, churches, government agencies and a vast number of service oriented organizations (including Christian organizations) actually think like this.

Have you been to a fast food restaurant, credit union, or bank lately?
Have you been to a hospital lately? Have you been to a church lately?
Some people still think like this. Sometimes, I think they have sawdust between their ears.

Fortunately for us, some of these precarious companies are no longer in business. You see, during this decade, people are beginning to say, "Enough already!"

In some of our churches across America, the pastors, priests, and ministers act more like little kings and demagogues than they do "servants". Some are more interested in another salary raise, church retirement plan, insurance plan, new auto, or bigger building than they are in "serving" the people!

"Why is this?" you ask. It is because we (the people) have allowed this type of nonsense to go on year after year.

The real King once said, "But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister (one who serves)."

What is a "minister"? He is a person, who serves others, genuinely cares, fosters love, promotes fellowship among the brethren, shows mercy, gives people hope when there seems to be none...and the list goes on.

"And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant" (Mat 20:27). Any pastor/priest or man of the cloth should FIRST and FOREMOST be a servant to the people.

"Forget about the parking space in front of the church. Park your car on the backside of the parking lot and walk. The walk will do you good!

A lot of churches have “Pastor’s Appreciation Day”. This is great. To honor our pastors and priests is a good thing. However, what about the homeless, widows, orphans, unemployed, sick, and others who need out help? Do we really have a servant's heart?

What about a "Day for the Homeless" in order to feed them, love them, care for them, clothe them, and wash their dirty little feet? This is the real ministry of a servant’s heart.

"Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many" "Mat 20:28).

"But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant."

What has happened to our service organizations?
What has happened to our largest service organization...The Church? Has the Church really provided service to our communities? Do you see any homeless around? If you do, then the Church has not completed her mission. Do you have a coat? Do you have some extra bread? Do you have some extra shoes?

"And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted."

"Be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble" (1Pe 5:5).

The humble ones are the individuals who really care. They are not too proud to eat with the sinners or mix with the fatherless, homeless, prisoners, sick, or naked ones. They are the true "servants". Amen!