Calvary Episcopal Church
Memphis, Tennessee
THE CHRONICLE
The Third Sunday in Lent
March 7, 1999
Volume 44, No. 10

Lenten Thoughts
"The last shall be first and the first last." "He who exalts himself shall be humbled and he who humbles himself shall be exalted." "Blessed are the poor in spirit ... blessed are the meek." And on and on ... big clues in scripture that one of the most important behaviors God yearns to see in us is humility. Humility, which we cannot produce by effort, which we do not recognize in ourselves, for if we do, we have fallen into pride and out of humility!

In our world of "me first" we don't find very many models for selflessness or humility. But if we look back into history, or into the Bible, we may have better results: Abraham Lincoln, "successful" politician though he was, did not think himself to be anyone special. He neither trumpeted his achievements nor did he concentrate in his speeches and writings on himself; rather, his concern was with the welfare of others, especially with regard to fairness and justice. Worldly power does not necessarily bring arrogance.

God finds us easier to use for God's purposes if we are humble, because when we are impressed with ourselves and take ourselves too seriously, it is not so easy for God to get us to look beyond ourselves in order to serve God by helping others.

Nor does being highly visible and a "high achiever" necessarily bring arrogance. St. Paul, once he had been knocked off his horse, was seen and heard throughout the civilized world, but he had it right when he begged of God, referring to his own sinfulness, "who will save me from this body of death?"

We are but grains of sand on one extremely big beach. If we can accept that fact, and yet know that God loves each and every one of us as if we were his only child on earth, we may have found a spiritual stance that is in touch with reality and that blesses us with the humility that God requires.

~Bill Kolb+