Carla was called into work today, the manager was ill.  She made it clear that she would not close tonight since she had another obligation – usually she just goes in – they had to do some switching around, but she got her way.  Course it was either that or not have her at all, which was not a viable solution.

She has 19 years with the company and wants to reach at least 20 and those of you that know her know she will do it.  I can see her though, this time next year, saying – I think I will try for 25.......

Isaiah 5:21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

How many times have I ignored this admonition?   Way too many times to count.

However, I do remember a few times that instead of listening to God, I believed my own pride and ‘wisdom.’  I forgot to put Him in the equation and went forward with false confidence that I was bigger and more important than I was.

Many times He pulled me up short without too much discipline, other times He had to remind me many times before He pulled the rug out from underneath me.

It is good to know our craft and perform it at its highest level possible.  It is good to study and gain insights that help us improve and make us better.  It is good to know that the quality of the product – no matter what it is – is the very best we can do and it isn’t just ‘acceptable’ it is good work.

But, when we forget who gave us the abilities, when we forget that we are but the tool of the true Master, we are heading down a slope that gets steeper and more slippery the farther along that path we travel.

It is far too easy to get into the mindset that we deserve all the allocates from others; that we deserve all the perks that go along with our success.

Yes, there are things that, because we attain a certain level, that we are given so that we can perform our tasks well, but when we begin to demand those, when we begin to look at them with pride in effect saying look at me and who I am, then we are doing preciously what God said we should not do – we become wise and prudent in our own eyes.

Mathew 23:10-12    Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

¹¹ But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

¹² And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

It is good to remember that even Jesus performed His service to God and to us, as a servant, not a demanding leader.

Mathew 16:15-16 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

¹⁶ And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

While He indeed proclaimed He was the Messiah, while He did accept the Mantle of the Christ, He did not demand to be treated as a King. 

He came to earth among the people, as a young babe, forsaking all the trimmings that were due Him and to what He was used to in heaven – and lived a humble life, placing God the Father first in His ministry to us.

He was the Christ, the Son of the Living God, yet, He openly placed the wellbeing of others first, to the point that He obeyed God and gave up His life for us.

That is the example we must follow, not self-adulation.

Later, Art :-)