Humility-A Lesson I Learned
By Faith Grace Cross
Our spiritual cleansing and healing is a great work and challenge that is necessary for our spiritual growth and maturity as Christians. As difficult the challenges at times can be, we should not fail to see all learning opportunities as gifts from God that he has bestowed upon us. We should submit willingly to the active process if we appreciate what the Lord wants to do in us and where he wants to lead us which is all designed and implemented by the holy spirit. With this mindset we can learn some very valuable lessons that are memorable and worth sharing with others. Here is one such experience I know I will never forget.
I use to work at an institution that sponsors the resettling of refugees and aiding immigrants to get established in our society as responsible tax paying citizens. I had one of the most enlightening experiences one afternoon on the job. I got a candid lesson on HUMILITY through a client in one of my housekeeping training classes that I taught. This young man appeared to be about 20yrs old to me and to my surprise he told me he was 27 yrs old.
Let me tell you about this young man Don Lee (name changed for privacy). Don Lee fled his country of Laos to come over to the United States. In order to escape his poverty stricken land it meant his leaving behind his parents and entire family and friends. Now he lives here in midwest alone, yet he forges ahead to make a life for himself in a foreign country. After the training class had ended all the students trickled out one by one, thereby leaving me and him alone in the hallway outside of the class room. He had a heightened look of anticipation on his face to say something.
To my surprise, he said to me, “Teacher, God loves the United States. God has blessed the United States. Maybe one day He will bless my people and my country”. He quickly looked away from me as though he had said something wrong. Now please understand where this is going. We are told to never discuss religion with the clients...as a matter of fact we are given specific instructions to never try to convert their religion. So of course, I was a little stunned by his remarks at first, knowing where this conversation could lead. You can imagine the opened door of opportunity I saw but I looked at him and noticed how sad he looked yet he seemed to be forcing a smile out of respect for me when he talked about God loving the United States.
By Faith Grace Cross
Our spiritual cleansing and healing is a great work and challenge that is necessary for our spiritual growth and maturity as Christians. As difficult the challenges at times can be, we should not fail to see all learning opportunities as gifts from God that he has bestowed upon us. We should submit willingly to the active process if we appreciate what the Lord wants to do in us and where he wants to lead us which is all designed and implemented by the holy spirit. With this mindset we can learn some very valuable lessons that are memorable and worth sharing with others. Here is one such experience I know I will never forget.
I use to work at an institution that sponsors the resettling of refugees and aiding immigrants to get established in our society as responsible tax paying citizens. I had one of the most enlightening experiences one afternoon on the job. I got a candid lesson on HUMILITY through a client in one of my housekeeping training classes that I taught. This young man appeared to be about 20yrs old to me and to my surprise he told me he was 27 yrs old.
Let me tell you about this young man Don Lee (name changed for privacy). Don Lee fled his country of Laos to come over to the United States. In order to escape his poverty stricken land it meant his leaving behind his parents and entire family and friends. Now he lives here in midwest alone, yet he forges ahead to make a life for himself in a foreign country. After the training class had ended all the students trickled out one by one, thereby leaving me and him alone in the hallway outside of the class room. He had a heightened look of anticipation on his face to say something.
To my surprise, he said to me, “Teacher, God loves the United States. God has blessed the United States. Maybe one day He will bless my people and my country”. He quickly looked away from me as though he had said something wrong. Now please understand where this is going. We are told to never discuss religion with the clients...as a matter of fact we are given specific instructions to never try to convert their religion. So of course, I was a little stunned by his remarks at first, knowing where this conversation could lead. You can imagine the opened door of opportunity I saw but I looked at him and noticed how sad he looked yet he seemed to be forcing a smile out of respect for me when he talked about God loving the United States.
What True Humility Looks Like
I told him that God loved him and his country as well and that one day everything would be made right by God. He said, “Yes, I know”. In all the conversation I found out he was a Christian like me. I told Don Lee that the Lord must have told him it was safe to open up to me as he had. Then I asked him if I could pray for him. Without any hesitation in his voice he said yes. As I started to pray he had a blank stare on his face but the next thing I knew, his head was bowed low ...eyes closed and he listened intently as the Lord started speaking to his soul through my prayer. He all of a sudden appeared to be tired and beaten down to me. My heart ached for him.
When I finished praying, he looked at me and said thank you bending over and BOWING his head in true humility with a quiet submissive like spirit. Next he extended his hand to me to shake his hand. After I shook his hand He told me everyone in his village back home were Christian. I was so happy to hear that in a communistic, idol- worshiping, war torn and poverty stricken land like Laos there are Christians living there. The living God is active in Laos turning hearts to the King of kings and Lord of lords Jesus Christ.
As soon as he left and I was alone to ponder what had just happened....I completely lost it and broke down in tears. Coming from his background he could have been filled with hatred, anger and bitterness. But all I saw was a meek and modest soul grateful for the chance to live in a country that we often take for granted. I started to pray in my heavenly language...I was so broken and I just started rebuking out loud the spirit of pride. I was just crying out to the Lord thanking him for showing me HIMSELF in this young man. I felt as though I had just seen the Lord Himself and I was so overcome in my spirit and humbled in his presence.
The Lord said to me, Faye what you just saw was TRUE HUMILITY. I continued to cry, no bawl is more like it and I told the Lord how sorry I was for being so prideful. I know I was there in the room crying and praying for a good 15-20 minutes. It almost felt like this person was an angel to me. Have you ever encountered someone who you felt was sent by God...that the moment was God ordained. That's how I felt about that experience. I thanked the Lord for granting me such a profound lesson in humility. I felt HIS LOVE and COMPASSION through Don Lee for me so strongly. God’s love is truly AMAZING!
I told him that God loved him and his country as well and that one day everything would be made right by God. He said, “Yes, I know”. In all the conversation I found out he was a Christian like me. I told Don Lee that the Lord must have told him it was safe to open up to me as he had. Then I asked him if I could pray for him. Without any hesitation in his voice he said yes. As I started to pray he had a blank stare on his face but the next thing I knew, his head was bowed low ...eyes closed and he listened intently as the Lord started speaking to his soul through my prayer. He all of a sudden appeared to be tired and beaten down to me. My heart ached for him.
When I finished praying, he looked at me and said thank you bending over and BOWING his head in true humility with a quiet submissive like spirit. Next he extended his hand to me to shake his hand. After I shook his hand He told me everyone in his village back home were Christian. I was so happy to hear that in a communistic, idol- worshiping, war torn and poverty stricken land like Laos there are Christians living there. The living God is active in Laos turning hearts to the King of kings and Lord of lords Jesus Christ.
As soon as he left and I was alone to ponder what had just happened....I completely lost it and broke down in tears. Coming from his background he could have been filled with hatred, anger and bitterness. But all I saw was a meek and modest soul grateful for the chance to live in a country that we often take for granted. I started to pray in my heavenly language...I was so broken and I just started rebuking out loud the spirit of pride. I was just crying out to the Lord thanking him for showing me HIMSELF in this young man. I felt as though I had just seen the Lord Himself and I was so overcome in my spirit and humbled in his presence.
The Lord said to me, Faye what you just saw was TRUE HUMILITY. I continued to cry, no bawl is more like it and I told the Lord how sorry I was for being so prideful. I know I was there in the room crying and praying for a good 15-20 minutes. It almost felt like this person was an angel to me. Have you ever encountered someone who you felt was sent by God...that the moment was God ordained. That's how I felt about that experience. I thanked the Lord for granting me such a profound lesson in humility. I felt HIS LOVE and COMPASSION through Don Lee for me so strongly. God’s love is truly AMAZING!
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