| Priestly Humility by Joel Hemple Recently, I came across a wonderful story about the great medical missionary, Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965). Dr. Schweitzer was renowned for many accomplishments, one of which was the hospital in Africa he founded and where he served the underprivileged. On one occasion when Schweitzer returned home to raise money for his hospital, reporters waited for him at the train station. But they almost missed him because they were waiting for him to exit the train from the first-class car. When they finally caught up with him, they asked why he was traveling third-class. He replied, “Because there was no fourth class.” My guess is that many times during his childhood, he heard his father – a Lutheran pastor– preach on the text, Philippians 2:5-7, and apparently he took the message to heart: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant being born in the likeness of men.” This past Sunday, Pastor Scott preached about the “priesthood of all believers” and the importance of the unique vocation to which each of us has been called. One way to describe true humility is when a person identifies and lives into the vocation or calling to which God needs them and doesn’t try to be something they’re not. True humility includes owning our strengths as well as recognizing our limitations and dependency on God and each other. None of us have it all. And none of us are the complete package. As St. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12, “There are a variety of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone” (verses 4-6). Our church needs every one of us because every one of us brings something different to the table. Even the littlest ones among us bring what the rest of us cannot bring: The joy of innocence and spontaneity as they run down the aisle for the children’s message and from the chancel steps wave back at their family proudly looking on. The church cannot thrive without each of us. And the church cannot survive unless we humbly recognize and embrace our own calling and the necessary vocations of others. Arrogance, harmful pride, and know it all attitudes are best left at the entrance to Christian community. This coming Sunday when we meet for the Vision Event, each of us will bring the value of our unique perspective AND our desire to hear the voice of our Lord in his Word and from the community of believers.
| 
