Daily Devotional for October 13, 2021

This past Sunday, just before the first worship service, as the choir finished rehearsing, one of my all-time favorite people began to feel ill.  Luckily, her doctor was also singing in the choir and was able to immediately determine the problem.

Realizing she was going to be okay but needed to rest, she stayed in the rehearsal room as the service began.

Knowing she shouldn’t be left alone, I asked Sandy, a retired Navy nurse, to sit with her until she felt well enough to go home.

I know it would have been better if Sandy was a retired Army nurse, but she’s still a pretty good nurse.

Yesterday, I saw Sandy filling bags of food for the church food pantry.  I asked her about Sunday.  She told me how disappointed she was because she was only needed in the rehearsal room for a few minutes.  She got back to the worship service in time to hear the entire sermon.  It was obvious this was something she saw as a punishment rather than a reward.

I explained the only part of the worship service I really cared about her attending was the offering.

Needless to say, I don’t get a lot of respect.  In fact, now that I think about it, while I know there are churches that respect their pastors, I’ve never served one.

Do you ever worry about getting the proper amount of respect?  Does it matter?

Paul said it best: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.  Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.”  (Philippians 2:3-4)

True followers of Christ are not worried about getting the proper amount of respect.  They’ve got bigger fish to fry.  Their concern is doing God’s will.  Humility is the answer.

Prayer:  Dear Gracious Heavenly God, in those many moments when I begin to think I am important, bring me back to reality.  Help me see that my highest goal is to be used for your purpose.  Give me a heart of humility.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

In our self-aggrandizing culture, to learn we aren’t the end-all-be-all of the universe is very hard to hear.  But the truth is, the only thing that gives any of us value is the fact that Jesus died for us.  He’s the one who matters.

So, if you are a pastor whose congregation would rather sit in the rehearsal room than the sanctuary, or a retired Navy nurse who wishes she was an Army nurse, God loves you, wants to use you, and doesn’t want you to be concerned about getting enough respect.

It doesn’t matter.

Also, just for the record, I’ve always considered my humility my greatest asset.

I pray your day is filled with joy and laughter.
Tom Robbins