I was never one of those who you would say was, ‘an autograph seeker.’ Now I do have my favorite musical groups, my favorite singers/entertainers, my favorite sports stars or actors, etc, but I would never want to be seen falling down at their feet if they happened to grace my presence. I have personally witnessed people who have made fools out of themselves whenever anyone they considered famous or important entered a room and I swore never do that.

We tend to put people on pedestals, place them in special places in our hearts, and even place what we think or feel on pedestals of importance and that is where we run into trouble.  I see this take place in the church with pastors or with people speaking at conferences and that grieves the heart of the Lord.

I remember hearing at a pastor’s conference of a pastor in Mexico who was threatened by the local gang leader to quit preaching about Jesus or he would die. This particular gang had terrorized the people in this little village so much, they lived in constant fear. This pastor took all of his savings, bought a can of olive oil, and rented a helicopter. As the helicopter flew over this little village, this pastor opened the can of olive oil and poured it down on the village as he prayed over the village and people.

A few weeks later in the middle of a Sunday morning service, the doors came open to this little church, as the gang leader, with his main soldiers, all carrying weapons, walked down the isle of this church towards the altar where this pastor was speaking. The crowd of people in the church stood motionless, thinking they were all about to die.  When the gang leader and his soldiers reached the altar, a mighty miracle took place. One by one, with the leader going first, they laid their weapons down on the altar and after the gang leader accepted the Lord as his Savior, his solders did the same. A huge shout of praise came from the people in service that day and the village was forever changed!!

When this pastor was introduced, in my mind I expected to see this giant, confident, bigger than life, man of God to step forth but to my great surprise, out from curtains, slowly stepped forth this short, small, very unassuming quiet Mexican pastor and the whole place broke out in a great applause unto the Lord!

As Jesus made what is referred to in Scripture as His triumphal entrance into Jerusalem, it wasn’t on a huge float preceded by many dancers and chorus girls, on something that was help up in the air by some strong men, in the most expensive car one could buy or even preceded by a large group of dignitaries.

Instead, the King of kings, the Creator of the universe and everything in it, the One show spoke the stars into existence, Who knows the number of hairs on our heads, who holds the keys to eternal life and Who would soon shed His precious blood for your sins and mine, rode into Jerusalem on a donkey!!

What a beautiful example of what being humble should be to anyone who thinks they do anything for the Lord’s kingdom. Respect and honor should be given to those who serve the Lord, whether it be as pastors, teachers, evangelists or in any position in the church, but they must first show themselves to be humble people, and when that humbleness is gone, it might be time to find someone else.

It says of the Lord in Psalm 18:27 “You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty“ Psalm 149:4 “For the Lord takes delight in His people; He crowns the humble with salvation” Isaiah 66:2b “This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at My word“ James 4:10 “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up” 

Photo by Edward Cisneros on Unsplash