Tip of My Iceberg

Debby and I hadn’t spent time together for about thirteen years. She lives in the frozen north, think Ohio, and my playground is Orlando. When she asked if I’d accompany her to visit her daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren in Hungary, I heartily agreed. She hadn’t travelled overseas, and with my limited experience, the two of us together made both our families nervous.

We met at Dulles airport in Washington, DC. My flight was late, so I had to run through the airport, my bag flapping, looking like the family McCallister from “Home Alone”. But our first time seeing each other was as we both reached the gate, out of breath but together again.

Debby and I did a lot of walking once we got to Budapest, where we spent a day getting our international legs under us. We were picked up by Debby’s son-in-law and driven to Balatonbereny, a small town on the edge of Lake Balaton about two hours from Budapest.

I learned something.

I tend to be a high-energy individual; I don’t sit still for long periods. Debby has had a hip replacement and has significant pain in her other hip and knee. She doesn’t move at the speed I do. She needed to constantly remind me to slow down so she could keep up, especially in the airport.

I needed to put myself in her shoes and realize she couldn’t walk as quickly as I could.

There’s an uncompromising arrogance and pride in acting like my way is the right way. If I don’t consider the others around me and how they’re doing, I’ve lost sight of the value of people. I need to humbly consider the needs of others so I can be a blessing and not a bane.

Author James M. Barrie of “Peter Pan” fame once said, “Life is a long lesson in humility.” We live in a culture where we’re genuinely trained to think more of ourselves, seeking likes on social media and putting our best, if not honest, face before the world. Humility is a modest and honest view of oneself, recognizing we’re not perfect, owning our mistakes. Author and pastor Rick Warren put it succinctly: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it’s thinking of yourself less.”

It’s a tough challenge if we’re trying to manage our social image to create the best possible picture of ourselves. Humility allows us to start from ground zero, seeing ourselves accurately without trying to be what others see or expect of us.

There are many pictures of true humility in the Bible; Jesus, however, is the One who lived it fully. He left the glory of heaven to become a Man with the limitations of a physical body. He experienced life as we do. The apostle Paul reminded us what it cost Him to live in humility.

“Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of Himself. He had equal status with. God but didn’t think so much of Himself that He had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, He set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human!” Philippians 2:3-7.

Jesus considered those around Him, seeking to help and not hurt others. It’s what I needed to do with my friend: consider her needs and not act as if I was the only one in the situation.

Humility isn’t a weakness; it’s strength of character.

It’s also a reminder that I’m not all that.