Being Humbled

Our AC went out again. Temperature in the apartment was in the 80s all day and night. It was in the 90s outside. I was up until 2am because I couldn’t sleep. I just laid for hours sweating and being crabby. I had 2 fans blowing on me but it did not help. Finally, I showered to cool off. All the while knowing I had to be up by 6am. Poor me. 

I work for the Madison County Health Dept operating the mobile clinic. Today we went to the “tent city” in the woods on the White River. We provide free healthcare to anyone, but try to focus our outreach on the homeless and low income. After parking and setting up the clinic, I walked down into the woods to greet them and tell them we were there. Even though I was in the shade, it was hot and humid with no breeze at all. 

I thought about them, in this heat. They have no AC, no fans, and no shower. There is no protection from the bugs. No refrigerator for a cold drink or freezer for an ice pack. I suddenly felt humbled and embarrassed at my lack of gratitude. Even without AC, I am fortunate. I am truly blessed to be where I am dealing with my problems. Someone once said, “there but for the grace of God go I.”

Then God reminded me. Christ lived as they lived. Jesus himself said, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” (Matthew 8:20) He owned nothing, slept outside and relied on the kindness of strangers. He did all this so that the least of them would know Him and be saved from eternal separation from God. 

So I am reminded now to humble myself and serve as it says in Philippians 2:5-8

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross!”