Because of his great devotion and faithfulness to his king, a shepherd was promoted to the position of Prime Minister.
The other ministers were angry that someone of such lowly origin should be so highly honored, and they tried to find some way to bring him into disfavor. But they couldn’t find anything objectionable about him, except one curious thing: Once a week he’d enter a little room he kept locked and stay for about an hour.
The nobles told the monarch about this and said they were certain he must be sneaking some of the wealth of the kingdom into that room. The king doubted it, but gave permission to break into the room and make a search.
What they found was a small bundle containing a dilapidated pair of shoes and an old robe. The Prime Minister was brought before the king and asked about this curious bundle in the locked room.
The new Prime Minister said, “I wore these things when I was a shepherd. I put them on regularly so that I won’t forget what I once was and how unworthy I am of all the kindness and honor you’ve given to me.”
Humility! The word comes from the word for ground, humus. Being humble doesn’t need to mean treating yourself like dirt. It can mean being fertile, filled with possibility, open to the planting of the seeds of hope and the watering of baptism.
Thanks to Roy T. Lloyd for the story
My Commentary:
Eighty-four years of my father’s life. And everything I had left of my father fit into one shoebox.
After my father died, I was responsible for going through his possessions and disposing of them. A lifetime of belongings. Things he had worked for, treasured, and accumulated. And when I finished, all I had left to keep fit into one small shoebox. I have never forgotten that experience.
It reminds me of the beautiful story about the shepherd who became Prime Minister. Every week, he secretly entered a locked room. Jealous ministers suspected he was hiding stolen treasures.
Finally, the room was opened. Inside were only an old robe and a worn-out pair of shoes. They were what he had worn as a shepherd. Every week, he put them on to remind himself where he came from.
What a wonderful lesson in humility! Jesus said, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Humility doesn’t mean thinking we’re worthless. It means remembering that our accomplishments, possessions, and opportunities are gifts, not reasons to feel superior.
The word humility comes from humus, meaning earth or soil. Good soil allows beautiful things to grow. So does a humble heart.
My father’s eighty-four years could never really fit into a shoebox. His love, sacrifices, kindness, and influence live far beyond anything he owned.
Someday, someone will sort through all of your possessions, too. The question is not how much you will leave behind, but how much love you will have planted in the hearts of others, because you were a down-to-earth person, because you were humble.
What kind of love are YOU and I planting in the hearts of others today?
THANK GOD TODAY FOR SIMPLE THINGS, LIKE BEING ALIVE!
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