Oct 14, 2009 1
The Humility We Need: Playing a Small Part Well
A thought crossed my mind once. I shooed it away.
Then my father-in-law mentioned a passage from the Bible related to that thought. I pondered it a bit and thought it was a nice idea.
Then I looked at that passage again a year or so later, and it blew my mind. It’s John 3:27-30.
To this John replied, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.’ The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less.
This is a truly incredible scene in the Bible. John had started a mass movement that many responded to. Keep in mind that Apollos was found in Ephesus (western coast of modern Turkey) teaching about John the Baptist years later. John was not a one-hit wonder, a passing fad, or a figure who fell from public favor.
He was simply over-shadowed by someone greater.
Though John wasn’t exactly living the comfy lifestyle that people such as myself practically demand of God—I’m not big on eating bugs—he could be described as “successful” in his ministry. Who would want to walk away from the kinds of crowds he drew?
The only way he could do that without losing his mind was by arriving at peace over God’s plan for his life, accepting the role that God set before him. In fact, he took great joy in being eclipsed by Jesus.
I know we all imagine ourselves as the leading role in the drama of our lives. Sometimes I get talking about “my life” and carry on for way too long. Who doesn’t love talking about himself/herself?
And so here’s the part where my mind started to overheat. What if the only reason why I’m here is to enable someone to do something great? What if I’m only here to set the stage for someone else? What if I’ll never see any of it come to fruition.
John sure didn’t. Come to think of it, from Abraham right on through the prophets, none of them saw what God had promised them—the blessing that would come to all people through the Messiah. John was SO CLOSE, and then he lost his head…
Sorry about that. I’m trying to cut down on those.
Rather than starring in my own drama, I may just be an extra or some kind of supporting role. And here’s the crazy thing, I can find a lot of peace and joy in playing my small part, whatever it is.
Perhaps the place where this has become most real is my profession of writing. The whole idea of writing is to build some kind of name, brand, and reputation for yourself. Without that, editors will ask, “Who are you and why are you the person to write this book?” It’s hard to walk that fine line between building a career and becoming a self-absorbed, self-serving narcissist.
One day God brought the thought to mind that perhaps I’ve become a writer simply to help other writers who will be better, more popular, and, sniff sniff, paid in larger sums. At that point I realized that I just need to do what God sets before me and not worry about the results. I can play a small part well, find contentment and joy, and then celebrate when I’ve helped someone else rise up to fulfill his/her God-given calling.
That can be a tough pill to swallow, but while I force it down my throat, I can also find renewed satisfaction with the role that God has chosen for me to fulfill even today. If only it paid a little better…
