Mishaps

My daughter was walking behind me in the parking lot, as we were ready to get in our car.
Mom, what’s that on your shoe?
I looked…and saw a stringy mess.

Not gum…but Silly String!
Who walks in Silly String?
Apparently me!

Thank goodness for hand wipes that I had in the car.
That got most of it off.

I am no stranger to mishaps.
When I was in kindergarten, we had snack each day.
Usually milk and graham crackers or animal crackers.

I remember seeing one of the boys lean back on his chair…turning it into a recliner.
I thought that looked like fun.
Even though Miss Betty told him not to do that, he still did.

I didn’t want to get in trouble.
I guess I just wanted to see if I could make my chair go back like that, too.
It did…and so did I!
I fell backwards…still on the chair…but the carton of milk I was holding spilled all over me.

If it had just been on my clothes, it would have dried before I had to go home.
But the milk spilled in my hair.
Even though Miss Betty took me to the sink and rinsed it out as best she could, you can only imagine what spilled milk, in your hair, feels like when it dries.

It feels like straw!

I know they called my mother to let her know what happened.
I know I got a big hug as she touched my hair and felt its consistency.
A good washing was in order when we got home.
A good talking to as well…about not leaning back on my chair.

Mishaps.
They happen…though we wish they didn’t!

The first car I ever drove used to overheat…frequently.
The radiator was like a sieve…it never held water.
But it ran…it was a car…and I thought it was wonderful!

I was picking up my dear friend, who would one day be my maid of honor.
We were going to the movies.
As I pulled into her driveway, I smelled that radiator smell.
All of a sudden, the smoke was coming through the air vents inside the car!

Her Dad was on the driveway waving to me.
I waved back…trying frantically to wave the smoke away with my hand.
That was a story he told for years…as he lovingly imitated my gesture!

Mishaps!
We don’t want to experience them, but we are stronger because of them.
Mishaps teach us humility.
We learn not to take ourselves too seriously.

He has showed you , O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)

Humility, defined in the dictionary as, a modest or low view of one’s own importance.
Perhaps that is the world’s definition, but it is not God’s.

Looking into God’s Word I found:

• When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom
  (Proverbs 11:2)
• The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor
  (Proverbs 15:33)
• Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3)

The world might argue that the Philippians verse sounds the same as the dictionary definition…a low view of one’s importance.
That would be a wrong conclusion!

Because right after that verse in Philippians, humility is explained fully.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.
Who being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross! Therefore, God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11)

The world looks at the cross and scoffs at its absurdity.
God the Father looked at the cross and exalted His Son to the highest place.

The cross had to come before the crown.

People tend to want the crown without the cross…without the trials…without the mishaps.
It doesn’t work that way.
The crown means nothing without the cross.

Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up. (James 4:10)

God will do the lifting.
We will do the obeying.

It takes a quiet strength to be humble.