Being Humble and Showing Humility on God's Call for our Lives

     Tonight I caught myself tossing and turning in bed over the idea that we tend to be uneasy or unsatisfied with God's call on our lives.  So much to the point that I couldn't sleep.  In doing so I felt like I should write about it.  For everyone who knows me, I am not much of a writer or a blogger.  I tend to have a few things that I feel the need to share, but it is very rare.  I also struggle with grammar and all other writing techniques so please bear with me. 
     Caught up in this idea I automatically thought of the passage of John the Baptizer.  In the book of John, there is a situation where John the Baptizer's disciples get caught up in the fact that Jesus is becoming more popular in the ceremony of baptism.  "At that time a certain Jew began an arguement with John's disciples over ceremonial cleansing.  John's disciples came to him and said, "Teacher, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you said was the Messiah, is also baptizing people. And everybody is going over there instead of coming here to us." John 3:25-26.  The first thing I noticed in this, like I said before, is the fact that John's disciples were more worried about how the traffic of believers were heading to Jesus for baptism rather then heading to John and his group.  John's disciples, in a way, share their feelings of  inadequacy and jealousy.  They feel that they are being undermined and becoming less popular. 
     John's response to this captivates me.  John says, "God in heaven appoints each person's work.  You yourselves know how plainly I told you that I am not the Messiah.  I am here to prepare the way for him-that is all." John 3:27-28.  He also states his call by quoting the prophet Isaiah in chapter 1.  "I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, 'Preapre a straigh pathway for Lord's coming!'"  John, being humble and showing a great amount of humility, says plain and simply that he is not the Messiah, but instead he is the messenger for him.  He is not shaken or threatened by the idea of people heading towards Jesus.  He is well established in his knowledge of God's call on his own life. 
     He goes on to say, "The bride will go where the bridegroom is.  A bridegroom's friend rejoices with him.  I am the bridegroom's friend, and I am filled with joy at his success." John 3:29.  John is very well aware that people would go where Jesus is.  He is not jealous of that or even the slightest bit worried.  In his next statement  John goes on to say that he is "filled with joy at his success".  John does not show fear or resentment that Jesus' ministry is growing rapidly and that people are heading his way.  Instead, he is filled with joy and shows his excitement that Jesus ministry is growing.
     I feel that sometimes we get so caught up with God's call on other people's lives and seeing how he is moving so well in what they are doing that we become blind to what God has called us to do.  We tend to fill up with emotions of jealousy or anger that blind us to the fact that God is at work.  We also get caught up in the questioning of why God is doing something through other people rather than doing it through us. 
     This reminds me of another passage later in the book of John just after Jesus is talking to Peter.  After Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him three times and calls him to feed his sheep, Peter turns around just after and asks, "What about him, Lord?" in reference to John.  Jesus' reply is, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to You? YOU FOLLOW ME." John 21:15-22 (Emphasis Added).  Peter, like a lot of us, got caught up in the moment of God's plan for John, The one whom Jesus loved, rather then his call for himself.
     It is hard to admit this, but I relate very well to Peter and to John's disciples.  I have seen the things God is doing through other people according to his plan and I have caught myself asking similar questions.  What is Your plan for them? Why them?  Why are You using them and not me?  I tend to get big headed and my ego tends to come out, but I am so quickly reminded by that statement, "You follow me." 
     I don't know if I have dragged this on too much or watered it down or possibly swung off topic a little, but for those who are still reading and struggle with the same questions that I do, caught up in our own egos and what not need to look at John's response back in chapter 3 verse 30.  John says, "He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less."
     Like I said before, the words of John the Baptizer captivate me.  His example of being humble and showing humility ultimately shows in this statement, as well as the ones before.  We should not question what God's call is for others or what he is doing through others.  To be honest, who are we to question the Creator.  He knows what he is doing and will continue to do it however and through whomever he pleases.  And we must ultimately remember that He must become greater and greater, and we must become less and less.

All my references from the Bible are from the NLT version.

Purple Ribbon

Today I had the opportunity to be with my cousin as he went into surgery.  He is fine, it was nothing serious, and the surgery was a success.  As he was in surgery I walked outside of Phoenix Children's Hospital and saw a group of trees with a bunch of purple ribbons hanging from them.  As I approached the trees, it had a sign hanging from it that was talking about being aware of children around pools.  As I saw an approaching family, I noticed they all had a purple ribbon in their hands.  From the look on their faces, they were heartbroken and in pain.  To be honest I felt their pain.  Maybe not on the same level as they did, but just through the way they were approaching the tree I could feel it.  I watched from a distance as they each tied a purple ribbon to a tree.  I did not ask anyone about the ribbons, but I could safely assume it resembled a lost loved one to some sort of drowning accident.  My heart goes out to all of those families who have lost loved ones in an accident of that sort.

Grace/Testimony

This last weekend I was blessed with the opportunity to go to San Diego, CA and spend a weekend with an awesome group of people.  The weekend's messages revolved around the subject of Grace.  I had heard of grace, and had a basic understanding of it, but I did not know how it had played into my life.  After taking sometime to think about grace, the realization of how it had taken place in my life hit me.  I had realized that almost a year ago someone gave me the opportunity to be a youth counselor at church summer camp.  At the time, I had been struggling with drinking, smoking, and drugs.  It blew me away at the time that she had asked me to do this, mainly because I did not feel like I deserved it.  How could God use me in such a dark point in my life and why would someone want to extend this opportunity to me.  Anyways, her action of extending grace to me has changed my life around completely.  That week, although it included some struggle, was really beneficial for me.  I had realized that the life I had been living before did not make me happy.  Sure I had some fun through college, and a lot of memories, but I constantly found myself sad and not content with my lifestyle.  That week at summer camp, the grace that my friend showed me had literally changed my life. 

After camp, I had realized that Flagstaff was not the place for me, so I prayed that God would give me an opportunity to go someplace else.  Within the next few days, my mom extended an offer to me to move back home and move back into my old room.  Yet again, another example of grace.  I did not deserve to move back home, especially after having a poor year at college without very little success, but the day I got home, my mom welcomed me with open arms.  Another impacting part for my change.  Being home, I was more focused on my change, and my relationship with God.  Upon returning, I started attending my church every week.  After a while, PK asked me to join the Youth Staff.  Yet again, someone extending grace to me.  For the past couple of weeks I have been trying to figure out my testimony, trying to see how it all took place and how it leads up to where I am now.  Grace has been the key factor, and if it were not for God extending it through these people to me I would not be at this point.  That is my story.  It may lack detail and it may not make a lot of sense, so for that I apologize.