Celebrating a Humble Servant

The third week of July I attended Celebration 2010 for work, in Beautiful British Columbia.

I was wearing a number of 'hats' there - planning/hosting a few meetings, ushering and helping with the larger event, etc - and it was a very busy, very tiring, but very rewarding experience.

I'd like to share one story of my experience there. At one point I was backstage, in the 'green room', trying to cancel a car rental. While I was calling and waiting on hold, a little Indian man was waiting there as well. He smiled at me once or twice and seemed to be trying to get my attention - I smiled back in a way that I hoped conveyed that I was too busy/harried to talk to him and kept waiting on the rental agency's queue.

When my car rental was finally canceled (three frustrating phone calls later), he came up to me before I left and with a huge smile he pointed at my nametag and said, "My daughter's name is also Rebekah!" After chatting for a minute about the Biblical spelling and my role with the conference, he said to me, "I encourage you to serve with joy, because the things we do, we do for the Lord - bless you as you serve him."

I was a little embarrassed as I wondered how frustrated or harassed I'd sounded on the phone that he thought I needed such a reminder, but thanked him and went back to my ushering post in the auditorium.

Shortly after, I witnessed this man receive an honourary doctorate from MBBS in recognition of his tireless service (for more, check out the MB Herald's report) to the church in Canada and India. His reaction brought tears to my eyes as he said "this is too great an honour for such a small man". It was a privilege to witness this ceremony and to remember that even while he was waiting to receive this honour, he still took time to gently encourage a stranger. When I saw him in the hall afterward he gave me a hug and encouraged me once again.

It was a humbling experience to see how far I have to go in my own journey. It makes me think of Paul's urging the Ephesians to "live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace" (Eph.4:1-3).

And of Micah 6:8: "He has shown all you people what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."