Bending Low

Bending Low

Every once in a while, God reminds me that he gives grace to the humble, not the proud. That he made himself little and lowly to love the little and lowly like me.

I had been asked to speak at a dinner for a church where I’d spent a good bit of my working life—and where I still knew and loved a lot of folks. I had friends in the room. My former boss—the senior pastor—was there with his wife. I wanted to do well for God and for the person who’d graciously invited me. And for myself.

Although I don’t typically eat before I speak, to be polite I made a pass along the back of the lovely buffet table prepared for the guests. About the time I arrived at the green beans, I felt something brush my legs. I looked down and saw my half-slip in a puddle around my ankles. Its elastic had given up the ghost at the worst possible moment. Any thoughts I’d had about being graceful or looking self-assured died. For a half second I considered diving under the skirted table after my errant undergarment, then thought better of it and stepped out of the loose circle of nylon around my feet, kicking it further under the table. Then I bent low to try to retrieve it with one hand, but I realized there would be no way to hide it when I stood up again.

I felt a soft tap on my shoulder, looked wildly around, and saw a female server smile at me with her hand outstretched. I silently and gratefully handed her my slip, she disappeared into the kitchen, and I never saw it again.

For the rest of the evening, including my time at the podium talking about how Jesus made himself little and lowly for the good of a lost world, I felt my cheeks flush in embarrassment. Likely no one but the server and me knew how little and lowly I’d become, and I’m certain I learned more that night than anyone else. The message is what matters most, and it is the messenger’s job to bend low, be grateful for her rescue, and try to be as inconspicuous as possible.

When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human!

Philippians 2:7, MSG