My basement boys started meeting again. Though not in the basement, rather in the coffee shop of a grocery store. But nonetheless, we’re meeting again. It’s a very good thing. It’s great to process life with another human being, especially when you trust them like few other people you know. My time with them yesterday morning was so refreshing.
Our discussion topics are all over the map, ranging from marriage to work to faith to basically anything that is consuming our thoughts during the week. This week our conversation lead us down a path of discussing humility.
Yeah…. humility. Not sure that it’s an area in which I excel.
Our discussion dug up some great questions like:
Why are fewer and fewer Christians being known for their humility?
Why do Christians living in community respond to heart-felt criticism with anger?
Why are we always such masters of self-promotion?
Why do we desire for people to think that we’re superheros?
Because frankly, it’s getting ridiculous.
And I hate to break it to you, but you’re not a superhero…
and neither am I for that matter.
We’re broken, and it’s OK to be honest about that. We’re not doing Jesus (and his church) any favors by being the opposite of who he is and the example he set for us. His confidence in who he was as the Son of God allowed him to humble himself and wash some dirty feet, touch some lepers, and oh, yeah… die a scandalous death on a Roman cross.
We’re children of God. He loves us. Our identity needs to be found in that, who we are and how he’s created us. Be yourself, not what you think others want to see.
I know that I need to be more willing to admit my shortcomings… And I’m thankful to a few boys who each week make sure that I do that and encourage me to live more like Jesus. I may not like what they have to say about me, but I’ve got to realize they say it in love and take a hard look at how I need to change.
Filed under: community, faith, life | Tagged: accountability groups are important, being humble is very difficult, how are you keeping yourself accountable, humilty and christians, why don't christians show humility
“We’re children of God. He loves us. Our identity needs to be found in that, who we are and how he’s created us. Be yourself, not what you think others want to see.”
- simply, beautifully put, and don’t let that go to your head
Wow…if you have a group like that, hold on for dear life. I have had it a couple of times in my life. I am kind of between groups now. There is nothing better.
this makes me miss the “heretics annonymous” bonfires….and cory and shelly and the “ol’ gang”….
Phat B – indeed.
/Not-so-anonymous heretic
well…. it’s the bonfire time of year… just need to get a date on the calendar… resurrect the heretics! backyard’s open most nights…
I stumbled across a sentence today that made me think of this post/topic. “Yes, even in our well intended service of the Lord, we can stumble…”
I think humility is being able to admit to ourselves and freely share with others about the stumble after we get up and realize what just happened. And that instead of hiding the scrapes and bruises received in a tumble, we let others see them for what they are–reminders of lessons learned.
[...] know that I write about community and these guys a lot, but I post this now because this morning I was reminded why I [...]