Stuff Happens

                Before I was humbled I went astray,
                    but now I keep your word.
                It is good for me that I was humbled,
                    so that I might learn your statutes. Psalm 119:67, 71

Do you remember the movie Forrest Gump? Remember his long run? When he stepped in a pile of dung, supposedly originating the phrase, “Sh*t happens?” This fictional character takes the moment in stride, literally. But then, he’s running in response to some truly bad stuff that he can’t deal with any other way.

I’m not a sports fan, but at least some people expected that Jordan Spieth had the Masters Golf Tournament all locked up earlier this month. I don’t know about Spieth, but we all know that some sportswomen and men handle these situations with grace. And some that handle them terribly.

Next Sunday we’ll be having a study session looking at the ways we can respond when "stuff" happens. Part of the idea is that our response when the bottom falls out is an indicator of our character as well as of our faith.

When I was young, I wanted to be humble but I didn’t exactly know how. I knew humility was an important attribute; you couldn’t grow up in the church and miss that. Still, most of my attempts at humility were driven by a lack of belief in myself rather than a setting aside of self in favor of God. As I look back on those years, it seems to me that we need to know ourselves, to have a good sense of who we are, before we can possibly give up that same “self”.

Jesus had a good sense of self. He knew who he was. And, throughout his life, he demonstrated profound humility, saying he came “not to be served, but to serve” (Matthew 20:28). On the evening before his arrest and execution, he took a towel and basin and washed his followers’ feet, directing them (and us) to practice a similar servanthood (John 13).

Quite an example to follow, one that most of us fail at more often than we succeed. But even in this, it’s in the failure that we grow, in character as well as faith. Yes, it's true. Sometimes we might what to paraphrase a friend’s words: “Please, no more learning opportunities, at least for a while.”

Unfortunately, we usually don’t have a say in when, what, or how much “stuff” happens to us. All we can decide is how we will weather it when it happens.

Prayer

Holy One, I am afraid. I feel like I’m sinking... like a boat in a storm. The waves are overpowering. The winds will swamp me. I can’t do it on my own. For this moment at least, I will fix my eyes on you. Amen.