Humidity and Humility (written June2012)

We have been in Taiwan for about 3 weeks now. I have never in my life sweated as much as I have in the first few weeks here. That is saying a lot considering I grew up south of Houston and am a sweater by nature.  My friends with thicker Taiwanese accents will always blame the heat on the "humidity" but  it often sounds like they are saying "humility".  These two words have been closely linked for me as I have been meeting so many people for the first time with sweat pouring down my face and back!  There seems to be a theme with our transition here- Humility.

Entering a country without knowing very much of the language or much about the culture can leave you vulnerable.  You feel like a child, talk like a child and can sometimes be treated like a child because of your ignorance.  Humility.

Matthew 18:3-4 "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

We don't know where we live. We carry around a piece of paper with our address on it in Chinese.  Whenever we order furniture or have to get a taxi we hand them the paper and smile. Humility.

Genesis 12:1 "And the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you."

Hauling three children around busy streets, crowded furniture stores and on different types of mass transit just opens the door wide for...... Humility.

Psalm 127:3 "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward."

Being in humbling situations usually yields frustration.  I wish that I could say that it produced something different- grace, patience, kindness, joy, etc.  It has not.  It has produced frustration on most occasions coupled with anger- my arch nemesis.  It has been way too easy to walk in my flesh and it disappoints every time.  I was sharing with a friend recently and she asked me the "root" of that frustration and anger and in an instant I knew it was "control"!  I have lost what little control I thought I had by entering a land that I do not yet know much about!  I have more often than not began my day with my own agenda instead of being open-handed before the Lord.  So we are back to HUMILITY!

Phil. 2:3 "Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves."

Prov. 11:2 "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom."

The Lord has been continually gracious during this process.  In all of these areas of my life He has shown me the gifts that humility brings- fellowship in His Kingdom, His direction, bearing good fruit, wisdom and fear of the Lord.  Humility in Proverbs 22:4 (NIV) is the fear of the LORD!

Humility for me is discovering how small I am and how little I actually have control of in my life.  It brings me to my knees before an all-knowing, loving, merciful and patient Father.  I have come to realize that it is in this place that I am filled- on my knees, my own will defeated, struggling to breath and He is there. Ps 40:2 "He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure."

So here I am in Taiwan.  A place that makes me feel like a child, unaware of my surroundings, culturally unaware and completely vulnerable.  It seems as if this could be a pretty devastating place to be BUT GOD calls me to look to HIM, trust HIM, follow HIM.  It is at this point of releasing "control" that I find why He has called me to humble myself before Him- He wipes the sweat from my face, stands me on my feet and leads me in the right way.  It is here that He has replaced my despair of losing control with the joy of being completely dependent on Him.  He has opened my eyes to the beauty of living in a different country and having to cling to Him!  He is faithful to give the fruits of His Sweet Holy Spirit- love, joy and peace!