Illuminated Humility

How do you react when you are complimented? Publicly? It’s weird unless you let it go to your head. Then you become this sponge that absorbs all of the kind words while doing everything in your power to keep your face from showing your internal gloating. You’ll work hard to say all the words you know are synonymous with humility, whether you feel it or not. You claim your unworthiness of the praise while internally having a dance-off party in your head.

But if receiving public praise makes you feel truly uncomfortable, then I think you’re onto something. It is the essence of authentic humility. I love to joke around about my true greatness, but I do this mainly with family and close friends for the laughs. To my wife, I call myself "Mr. Great Guy" and Diane "Mrs. Great Guy." By the way, she is also a professional eye-roller.

I’m nothing special except in God’s eyes. If God were to brag about me, that would be awesome and terrifying. Isn’t that how you butter someone up before saying things like, “...but I have this against you”?

Being on stage is a strange experience. You always receive more praise than you feel you deserve (or you should feel that way anyway). It’s difficult to tell when those praising you are genuine in their words. Some feel like they’re supposed to be gracious with their words while they secretly know you put them to sleep with whatever you were presenting.

My very first sermon as a pastor was in a small town church twice removed from the middle of nowhere. There was a gentleman in the congregation who looked like the old dude with the pitchfork in that farmer and wife picture (I thought he was the farmer’s dad). Anyway, he sat about halfway back in their quaint sanctuary and positioned himself by the aisle. As a tall man, it was painfully obvious when he fell asleep as his head dropped back and his mouth opened wide. I thought I had killed the man! But alas, he self-resuscitated in time for the invitation and stood and sang with everybody else. When he came through the obligatory handshake line after the service, he said, “That was a really good sermon.” I wanted to ask him if he heard it through his nose because that was the open orifice pointed in my direction.

He lied. Sometimes, the praises you receive come in that form. Be careful not to take accolades too much to heart. You might be constructing for yourself a stage made of paper machete. It may look good but it isn’t going to hold you very long. It is better to keep your feet on the ground in the first place and know that you are still just one of God’s humble servants doing what you’ve been asked to do. Just because your calling comes with a microphone doesn’t make you “all that.”

What stage are you on?

As you keep developing your skills, the compliments will increase. The stages you’re invited to stand on get bigger. The size of the audience grows. Keep in mind that even in the big crowds, there will always be some Mr. Farmers out there who will snooze through even your best stuff. Remember that the next time you feel a bit puffed up on the inside.