Message Balls Blog

Have you ever gone from one place to another and later wondered how you got there? That’s how my trip through Humble Alley turned out.

It was one of those times when you think you’re doing something good, but it turns out to be the wrong thing. I hadn’t even realized what I’d done until I got a call from my higher-up at Bible study. I’d been researching the use of a wedge monitor for the worship team. They had been saying it was hard to hear themselves sing, and a wedge monitor would help. I didn’t know what a wedge monitor was, but in my search, I discovered a couple among the equipment backstage. The problem was that neither my leader in the sound booth nor I knew how to connect them to the sound system. So when our higher-up called, I thought she was calling to say the Tech from the church would show us. Wrong! She was calling to tell me to drop the idea. She thought they were too heavy for us and was afraid we’d get hurt. She wasn’t happy about me pushing for it either. Hoping to smooth things over, I told her I asked my study group if anyone was interested in helping in the sound booth, and one was. I thought she’d be happy to have some extra help. Wrong! Instead, in a serious tone, she said, “That’s not the way we do things.” I was so surprised by her response. After I hung up the phone, I felt so bad. I prayed and fought feelings of resentment.

The next morning I was still feeling bad about it all. After some thought, I knew it wasn’t the way they did things. It wasn’t how I’d gotten there. When I was approached, I was told my name came up after they prayed, and so I’d accepted the position believing it was what God had for me to do. It was also why I wanted to do a good job. Now I’d gone and gotten myself in trouble. Then I felt the Lord say, “So, how bad were you?” I love how He speaks to me. I smiled and thought to myself, “Yeah, how bad was I? I was only trying to help, and what harm did I do anyway?” I felt better about it, but I still wasn’t thrilled about going back. Then something in a book I was reading spoke to me. It talked about being faithful and how God would promote you. I also received encouraging words from the Worship Leader after telling her there would be no wedge monitor. She also gave me more to think about when she said, “It’s just a part of our learning how to relate and operate within the body of Christ.” So, I decided to go back and see what God would do.

As I stood in the sound booth, looking down over the auditorium, watching those preparing for the morning to begin, I started to appreciate things I hadn’t thought much about before. I thought about how much time the Worship Team spends praying, deciding on songs to sing, and rehearsing each week. I saw how faithful and devoted they were in what they did. I saw the Teaching Director and thought about the love she expresses through her lecture, always thinking of what God had given her to share with the ladies who come to learn. I thought about all the Group Leaders and the time they spend preparing for the lesson each week. Then I thought about why I was there. And that’s when it became clear–I was there to support all of them. I don’t know why I hadn’t seen it before, but suddenly I saw how my role in setting up the microphones and sound system was vital to all they were doing. At that moment, I submitted in my heart to God and to those He had placed over me. I said, “Okay, Lord, I’ll do this. I want to be a part of what You are doing here.” It was interesting that minutes after I surrendered, the Associate Teaching Director complimented me on my diligence and faithfulness. I took it to mean that God was pleased with my new commitment, it made me feel good.

It was a humbling experience. Everything seemed to change after that. I felt like I was in a different place, though the situation hadn’t changed. It was I that changed. I was different, and it made a difference in what I did.

The more I began to concentrate on serving mainly those with a microphone, the better I got. I gave more thought to the little details that made them feel cared for. Instead of just putting out the equipment, I started taking the time to set the mic stands to each one’s height in the Worship Team and for the Opening Speaker. One of the things I started doing for the Teaching Director was to quickly turn off her mic when she had to cough. During her lecture, I sat with my finger over the switch looking for any little facial movement that signaled she needed to cough, sneeze, or get a sip of water. By studying her each week, I got to know her, and I got good at hitting the off button at the exact time, so her cough wasn’t amplified, and then back on just as she spoke her next word. It didn’t go unnoticed, people started to comment on how precise I was. I began to think of it as an important thing I was doing. I saw it as my part in helping her feel confident as she stood on stage each week and delivered what God had given her to say.

Humility wasn’t a fun lesson. It wasn’t easy to go back to Bible study after being scolded for trying to help, but I’m so glad I did. So much good came from it. My purpose had become clear and more meaningful. After I humbled myself and renewed my commitment to God, I was reminded who my higher-up really is–the Lord Jesus Christ. Acting on the clue from my worship leader friend, I spent some time thinking about how the body of Christ operates. It was easier to understand if I related it to my own body and how it works. Like my body, Christ’s body is made up of many members, each working together with a specific purpose and abilities. If one part isn’t doing what it should or tries to do someone else’s part as I did, the entire body suffers. Some members may seem more important than others but, unless they all work together, the body won’t function properly, which means all the members are important.

When I first found myself in Humble Alley, it didn’t seem like I’d end up feeling important. So how had I gotten there? Humility! I had a new understanding of humility. It isn’t weak or thinking less of myself like I once thought. It’s more like a means of getting from one place to another. Humility had brought me to know my purpose, and knowing my purpose brought me to a place of confidence. I didn’t feel the need to compete or defend myself as much, which brought me to a peaceful place. I started to like myself and to enjoy encouraging others. Thinking of myself as a member of the body has helped me get along better with others and even appreciate the differences we all have. And oh, a little way down the road, I found out that God does promote the faithful.

To be continued . . . see Higher Point

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This entry was posted on Thursday, August 27th, 2020 at 3:09 pm and is filed under The road to the greater life. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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