Stepping Into Humility

And while somewhat embarrassed, I was so very glad that I’d let myself respond to the nudge God’s Holy Spirit was giving just a few seconds earlier as I watched Sally coming toward me.

She was already speaking to me like I knew who she was.  I’d met her; but couldn’t remember her name at all.  Now here she was not only calling me by name, but engaging me and obviously desiring to make a deeper connect.  Meanwhile, the Holy Spirit was telling me to be transparent with Sally about her name.  It seems silly now; but in those few seconds my thoughts were raging!  “Just fake your way through this and move on” versus “Don’t fake it Jane!  Be honest…humble yourself enough to let this sweet woman know you can’t remember her name.”

Why the mental debate?  Why such a big deal?  Because the pride in me was so strong that it took God’s Spirit and Sally’s sweetness to get me to embrace humility and admit that I didn’t know something as simple as her name.

Proverbs 15:33 and 18:12 speak directly to humility coming before honor.  Many of us are familiar with 1 Peter 5:7.  I’m so very grateful God gives grace to me, especially that day as I battled Him about being humble.  What I would have missed in my life if I’d chosen to “fake” my way through with Sally!

As brief as it was, my encounter with her sparked a deep friendship that lasted almost 20 years, ending only when Jesus unexpectedly called Sally’s name and took her home to be with Him almost 9 years ago.

Everyday we get opportunity to make choices.  Choosing to step into humility let me experience caring community and discipleship through deep friendship.

So where do you find yourself battling God about stepping into humility?  What honor is God not receiving from you in this area, and what honor are you passing by?