DOWN A NOTCH...

About the time I was feeling more comfortable with my title as an elder's wife, getting lots of pats on the back from others, something interesting happened.  Something that put me in my place.

As I was helping prepare for an event at church, working along side several women, one said to me,"Congratulations on your husband becoming an elder - I think you all will be great..." and another woman said, "Now what?"  "What happened?"  She didn't understand the word elder I guess and the other woman repeated it twice.  I kept on working, not knowing what to say.  She finally said, "Oh, I didn't know...we've been gone a few times..." Awkward.  Anyway, it was a good thing.  It put me in my place.  I thought to myself, "Where've you been?" "How can you not know?" and realized my ego may have been inflated lately.  But I quickly felt corrected - I'm nothing special!  A sinner like everybody else.  Special in God's eyes, but not any more than any others and I shouldn't relish in any titles.  JUST A LITTLE REMINDER FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT...and later, I was thinking about the scripture of pride coming before a fall.  I looked it up and in the same chapter noticed this one:

The Lord detests all the proud of heart.
    Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.  Proverbs 16:5

Harsh!  Brings me back around to thoughts of thankfulness for his grace and mercy and realizing how I have been given a rich inheritance - given.  I haven't earned one bit of it.  In humility I serve as he served others. Thanks to God for that woman and that situation and the Holy Spirit - hopefully I'm back in step where I need to be!