A Feast of Humble Pie.

Do not neglect the gift you have…. 1 Timothy 4:14

 

Keeping it real…

I live in Pittsburgh.  Not the obvious home base for this family.

My husband works in Munich, Boston and NYC.  And, as it turns out, the Pittsburgh International (?) Airport cancels flights, idk, ALL. THE. FLIPPING. TIME.

We are here, despite common sense, because God made it clear:  Move there.

And while the details of our exact ministry remain a bit fuzzy, we do KNOW finding the right church is key.

This is about when Lorde came in — the band, not the Alpha & Omega — to help make the decision clear.  (friends, give me an inch)

In Germany, we had a church we loved, but our first attendance was a bit of a train wreck.  We couldn’t find the building for ages.  So we arrived after worship (our favorite part) and sat in the way-way back, just in time to hear the offering song.  “Royals”.  You know the one…

“And we’ll never be royals (royals). It don’t run in our blood,
That kind of luxe just ain’t for us. We crave a different kind of buzz.”

Say what?

We left thinking this place was… not our pace.  But with few English alternatives in Munich, we tried it again and quickly changed our perspective, loving the heart and approach this community used to show Christ to the generations.

In America, there is no lack of church options, however.  And there was one location we’d been excited to try for months.  But the Sunday we’d arranged to attend, our son was sick, we were traveling from Ohio, plus it was 9,000 degrees and I’d haphazardly packed clothes for fall.  Steve and I looked at each other, and, with a slight hint of weary determination in our voices said, we ARE pressing through this.

The service was beyond what we’d expected, and, just when I was beginning to think this might be our new home, the offering began.  Guess what song they sang?   (I can not make this stuff up)  There are probably only two churches in all of the world that have performed the song, Royals, but we were at both venues on our first visit.

God has a sense of humor, and this was the icing on the cake.  It was just so very easy.  Neon-sign easy.  We now have a church home that we love.  Voilà!

All we’ve got to do now is start being, in this place, who God’s called us to be.  I have certain gifts.  Steve has certain gifts.  Clearly, we SHALL USE THEM HERE!  It’s what the Bible says to do, after all:

• Do not neglect the gift you have…. 1 Timothy 4:14
• As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace. 1 Peter 4:10
• Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them… Romans 12:6-8
• A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before the great.  Proverbs 18:16
• But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.  Ephesians 4:7

(cue screeching hault sound effect)

Lean in, ’cause I have a secret:  Figuring out your gifts can be one thing, but actually using them effectively can be quite another.

There is lots in my heart to do… two of the most available being worship and women’s ministry.  You can boil much of what I love down to those banner topics.  And doing those things in this new city would be a dream come true.  But that neon sign I mentioned earlier was planted for a reason, because where we fit in this community isn’t immediately clear, and I’m leaning on the knowledge that God still has a plan.

Ever feel like you don’t have a place to shine — that someone else is better, got there first, or your potential isn’t as obvious as you’d like it to be?

Well, then we can make this choice together:

1) Feast on this humble pie until we’re bloated from chewing on inadequacy, choking on our pride, and perpetually digesting lies from the enemy.

OR

2) Be who God has called us to be anyway.

A friend recently said to me, “Sometimes God increases your capacity before He increases your ability.  He’ll give you new ground and THEN start working on your capability to manage it.”  That’s where I am.  Enlarged territory with a befuddled look on my face.  So, now what, God?  We’re here, and I don’t have a clue what to do.  To which He gently answers:

Neither a stage nor a title is required to be a worship leader or a safe place for women.  The community I’ve placed you in comprises more than your church.  Because THIS – what you see all around you – is where Christ chooses to live.  And, as it turns out, I’ve made some perfectly suited space for you right here.  The school pick-up line, that’s my stage.  Hands held high with your kids while cooking dinner, that’s leading the next generation in worship.  Writing your heart out on a computer screen each week, that’s ministry.

It’s not a cop out–it’s a decision to believe in Christ’s ability to use you and your gifts despite an obvious platform.

Yeah, I’ve been humbled these days.  That’s the simple truth.  But I no longer feel inadequate.  I’m expectant.  I have freedom to put feet on my heart and walk in the faith that my ability will increase as I explore my new territory.  I’ll be taking ground and learning while on the job I have at hand…  not wasting a moment on the in-between.

What about you?  What talents do you possess that may shine in places other than the obvious ones?  Because NO MATTER HOW INSIGNIFICANT it may seem to you, it has HUGE value to the Father.

View your circumstances through the lens that assumes the enemy has a tactical plan to shut you up.  If you remain stagnant, bitter or lack confidence, you’re ceding ground that’s rightfully yours.  In the process, you’ll lose your spark and live feeling empty and insignificant.  That’s called MIRE.  But, HA! “He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.” Psalm 40:2  And then, when you’re back on that rock, stomp some humble pie to smithereens and walk in confidence.  God’s plan includes you, and that’s really all the permission we need to go ahead and DO IT!