Love letter #23: Humble Pie

There's something about attempting to do for others that makes great teachable moments-- for us.  In our eagerness to give, love, redeem, and assist, we must remember that our actions of service are  part of God's larger redemptive plan and not an accessory to ours. We are working because we are redeemed, we are not the Redeemer.


Romans 12: 1-8 says it like this:
 

³ For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. ⁴ For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶ We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; ⁷ if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; ⁸ if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.  


^{Sometimes cultural or socioeconomic differences can make our giving and serving seem like a chore, or one sided. But God calls us to eat humble pie, be generous, and then be humble again:
 
9} Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹ Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³ Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

 ¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.Do not be conceited.

Lord, teach us how to live out true humility-- when we give, and when we receive. Let our love be sincere, and our hearts constant students of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Love letter #22: Maintaining a connection

Image via WikipediaSo, I'm trying to get Internet installed in my house. Seems like a simple transaction, no? Well, it's been two days (going on three) and about 5 hours in the making ( 12 if you count the hours waiting for the repair man), and still no Internet.

The technician that came today, also claimed it should be a simple transaction. If they could just find the piece of hardware that would allow them to establish a connection... "Do you have some kind of map that can tell you where things were originally arranged?", I asked the perplexed technician.

"No, but that would make our lives easier", he replied.