Bring the Gift of Your Heavy Duty Humility #3

Micah 6:6–8 (NRSV)

“With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high?

Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?

Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil?

Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”

He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you

but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

INTRODUCTION

WHAT WILL YOU BRING UNTO THE LORD IF THE SAYING IS TRUE THAT SAYS, “A LITTLE FAITH WILL BRING YOUR

SOUL TO HEAVEN, BUT A LOT OF FAITH WILL BRING HEAVEN TO YOUR SOUL? WHAT WILL BRING UNTO THE LORD IF

HENRY VAN DYKE WAS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT WHEN HE SOUGHT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE OF FAITH FOR ALL TIME

THIS WAY WHEN HE SAID:

USE WHAT TALENTS YOU POSSESS; THE WOODS WOULD BE VERY SILENT IF NO BIRDS SANG EXCEPT

THOSE BIRDS WHO SANG THE BEST

BELOVEDS, AS WE GATHER ON THIS FINAL SUNDAY BEFORE OUR MOST JOYOUS SEASON OF THE CHRISTIAN YEAR,

ADVENT......WOULD YOU REFLECT WITH ME ON ONE OF THE MOST UNDERRATED YET NEED WORTHY GIFTS WE CAN

BRING BEFORE THE LORD OUR GOD IN 2023 AS WE EMBRACE THE TASK OF MAKING OUR FINANCIAL PLEDGE AND

COMMITMENT TO THE FAMILY OF GOD HERE AT THE UNITED CHURCH OF MONTBELLO? IT IS A GIFT THAT SHINES

IN THE PERSON AND PROPHET WHO PASSAGE WE EXAMINE AND SHARE THIS MORNING....THE PROPHET MICAH.....

THIS IS A POWERFUL PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE THAT BEGINS WITH A QUESTION AND ENDS WITH A QUESTION......

THIS IS A PASSAGE OF THE WORD OF GOD THAT SEEKS TO SEAR INTO THE HUMAN MEMORY......THE VERY

REQUIREMENTS OF ALMIGHTY GOD, THE GOD OF ALL CREATION WHO SITS HIGH AND LOOKS LOW.......THE GOD

WHO SUSTAINS US THROUGH OUR WEARY YEARS AND YES, EVEN OUR SILENT TEARS, BELOVEDS.........THE GOD

WHO SAVED JONAH FROM THE BELLY OF THE WHALE...... THE GOD WHO RETURNED TO JOB TWICE AS MUCH AS HE

BEFORE HIS TRAVAILS AND HIS SUFFERINGS....FOURTEEN THOUSAND SHEEP & SIX THOUSAND CAMELS & A

THOUSAND YOKE OF OXEN AND MORE, YES EVEN MORE........THE GOD WHO BLESSED JOSEPH WITH SO MUCH

FORGIVENESS IN HIS HEART THAT HE COULD FORGIVE HIS BROTHERS WHO LEFT HIM FOR DEAD OUT OF JEALOUSY,

MEANNESS AND MALICE.........WHAT SHALL WE BRING BEFORE THE LORD, OUR GOD....AND WHAT DOES THE LORD

OUR GOD REQUIRE OF US????...

“If humility does not precede all that we do, our efforts are fruitless.” St Augustine

Stewardship means living a conscious, committed life in Christ. When we make the decision to live a life of

stewardship, we grow in humility.  We begin to realize that all we have and all we are given comes from a

loving and generous God. That is a humbling realization.

The word humility literally means “of the earth,” or “down to earth.” To be humble is to recognize that we

are not the authors of creation but stewards of that creation. The Genesis story of creation tells us that God

made the heavens and the earth and put us here as stewards, which means to care for that creation.

Genesis also teaches that as humans, we were created with dignity, which means in God’s image and

likeness.  We are all important in God’s sight, but we don’t need to exert that self-importance to the

detriment of others or of God’s creation.  That is the opposite of humility.

MICAH THE HUMBLE PROPHET OF GOD

WHEN WE SAY MICAH CAME FROM THE SOUTH FROM THE SMALL COUNTRY TOWN OF MORESHETH IN THE

FOOTHILLS OF THE SHEFELAH, WHICH FACED ACROSS THE COASTAL PLAIN TOWARDS THE MEDITERRANEAN WE

ARE SPEAKING OF MICAH’S OWN HUMBLE BEGINNINGS AS A PERSON AND A PROPHET

LIKE THE PROPHET AMOS, MICAH USED RURAL IMAGERY........IN THE WORDS AND WORLD OF THE HOLY BIBLE....

Dictionary of Biblical Imagery Humility

The humble are known for their fear of the Lord (Prov 22:4) and their righteousness

SO WHEN WE GET TO CHAP 6 AND VERSES 6-8 WE HEAR THE ENCOURAGEMENT THAT IS TIMELESS IN MICAH 6:6-8

Micah 6:6–8 NRSV

“With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

WALKING HUMBLY IS COMING FROM THE PROPHET’S VERY HEART, BELOVEDS.....TODAY, I AM HOPING THESE

HUMBLE AND HOPEFUL WORDS ARE TOUCHING YOUR HEARTS IN A SIGNIFICANT AND SALIENT WAY........

THE HUMBLE WALK & THE WALK AHEAD

ONE OF THE MOST TREASURED LINES OF HOLY SCRIPTURE IS PSALM 23:4

Psalm 23:4 KJV 1900

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

CERTAINLY WE’VE EXPERIENCED THIS SCRIPTURE PASSAGE AS THE COMFORT IT IS MEANT TO BE......THE NOTION

THAT THE LORD OUR GOD IS EVER WITH US....AS SEASONS CHANGE, AND OUR DEAREST AND MOST BELOVED DEAR

RELATIVES OF OURS DIE.......AS WHOLE VALLEYS OF DEATH FEEL AS THOUGH THEY ARE CHANGING INTO CHASMS

GETTING WIDER AND WIDER BY THE DAY.....

OF ALL THE CHALLENGES THAT LIE AHEAD IN 2023 FOR PEOPLE OF FAITH.....WHAT IF GOD IS SHOWING US THAT

OUR WALK AHEAD IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE VALLEYS OF THE SHADOWS OF DEATH THESE PAST 2 YEARS HAVE HELD

FOR US.........PERHAPS THE WALK AHEAD, SURELY THE WALK AHEAD, WE FACE, IS ABOUT MANAGING NOT JUST

THE VALLEYS OF DEATH AROUND US, THAT TOUCH US, HUMBLE US AND SEEK TO PULL US DOWN.....

LET’S MAKE SURE WE’RE HUMBLY WALKING FORWARD AND SEEING WITH THE LENS OF THE PSALMIST IN PSALM 27:13

Psalm 27:13 NRSV

I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

OURS IS TO SEE THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING, WHILE DOING JUSTICE, LOVING

KINDNESS AND WALKING HUMBLY WITH OUR GOD......I AM GRATEFUL TO MY COLLEAGUE REVEREND SAM RAINER

WHO REMINDS US:

The personal virtue of humility is a constant battle, but the most important one. Humility is a daily decision

and a lifetime commitment. AND THAT Humility is the most difficult leadership trait to determine about

ourselves.

CONCLUSION

IT’S NOT JUST THE RUN OF THE MILL HUMILITY WE NEED TO SHAPE THE PATHWAY AHEAD IN PROFOUND AND EVER

HOLIER WAYS MOVING FORWARD......WE SEEK TO APPLY HEAVY DUTY HUMILITY RECALLING AND REVERING:

Proverbs 15:33 NRSV

The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility goes before honor.

AS WE SEEK TO WALK HUMBLY WITH OUR GOD IN THE NEW YEAR, BELOVEDS, THERE ARE 2 STORIES THAT I CLOSE

WITH.............THE FIRST IS A REMINDER OF HOW FAR OUR HUMILITY IN OUR ATTITUDES AND APPLYING IT TO OUR

MONEY AND MEANS CAN TAKE US.....

DR. CHARLES WALKER WAS PREACHING A REVIVAL IN NEW ENGLAND AND TOLD THE STORY OF THE MAN

WHO WAS ASSIGNED TO DRIVING HIM AROUND TOWN AND TO BRINGING HIM BACK AND FORTH TO REVIVAL

EACH NIGHT. THE MAN COULDN’T SPEAK THE KING’S ENGLISH, BUT HE SPOKE WHAT DR. WALKER CALLED

GOOD AFRICAN AMERICAN ENGLISH. HE NEVER SAID THE WORD REVIVAL ALL WEEK. HE SAID, “VAVIBAL.”

HE SAID, THE VAVIBAL REALLY BLESSED ME LAST NIGHT TO THE PREACHER. DR. WALKER REMEMBERED

THAT THOUGH THE MAN COULDN’T SPEAK THE KING’S ENGLISH, HE HAD “MONEY’S MAMMY.” HE WAS

DRIVING A LINCOLN SO HIGH THAT CHARLES SAID HE COULDN’T EVEN READ THE ROMAN NUMERALS. HE

WORE A 3-KARAT DIAMOND PINKY RING, BROOKS BROTHERS SHOES & A $300 SUIT. THE MAN SAID, “REV,

YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND HOW I GOT THIS. I GOT IT BY PUTTING THE LORD 1st IN MY LIFE AND PRAISING

GOD IN SPITE OF PROBLEMS.

CHARLES LOOKED AT HIM AND THE MAN CONTINUED, “SEE FOLKS SEE A CAR, & THEY WANT TO GO GET A

CAR. THEY SEE A SUIT AND A HOUSE AND THEY TRY TO GET THAT. YOU KNOW THE WORD SAYS, REV. SEEK YE

FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE ADDED UNTO YOU.

THE MAN SAID LET ME TELL YOU HOW I KNOW THAT’S TRUE. ME AND MY WIFE BEEN MARRIED OVER 40

YEARS. AND DURING THE DEPRESSION I LOST MY JOB AND WE SPENT ALL OUR LIFE’S SAVINGS. AND HE

SAID, ONE SATURDAY NIGHT BOTH OF US WANTED TO GO TO CHURCH THE NEXT MORNING AND OUR

CHURCH WERE 8 MILES AWAY FROM WHERE WE LIVED, THE BUS FARE WERE 10 CENTS, AND WE ONLY HAD 15

CENTS TO OUR NAMES, SO MY WIFE SAID, HONEY TELL YOU WHAT YOU DO. WHAT YOU DO IS YOU WALK TO

CHURCH IN THE MORNING, AND WHEN YOU GET TO CHURCH YOU PUT A NICKEL IN AND WHEN YOU LEAVE,

YOU’LL HAVE A DIME TO RIDE BACK, CAUSE IT ONLY COST A DIME TO RIDE IN THOSE DAYS.

AND I GOT UP, AND I WALKED TO CHURCH. I WERE TIRED, BUT IT WERE A BEAUTIFUL DAY, AND A I WERE

WALKING, I JUST FELT BLESSED BECAUSE I THOUGHT ABOUT PEOPLE WHO DIDN’T HAVE NO LEGS TO WALK.

WHEN I GOT TO CHURCH, AS SOON AS I STEPPED INSIDE THE SANCTUARY, THE HOLY GHOST SAID, PUT THE

WHOLE 15 CENTS IN. AND I STARTED ARGUING WITH THE LORD. I SAID, NO, NO, NO, NO. SEEK YE FIRST

DON’T MEAN THAT. I DONE WALKED ALL THE WAY HERE.

THE MAN CONTINUED, THE CHOIR STARTED SINGING THE PROCESSIONAL. THEY WERE SINGING, “HOW I

GOT OVER, HOW I GOT OVER…MY SOUL LOOKS BACK AND WONDERS....” BUT ALL I COULD HEAR THEM

SINGING WAS, PUT THE WHOLE 15 CENTS IN. I STOOD THERE ARGUING WITH HIM. WE READ THE

RESPONSIVE SCRIPTURE AND THE WORD SAID, “O GIVE THANKS UNTO THE LORD FOR HE IS GOOD.” BUT

ALL I COULD SEE ON THE PAGE WAS “PUT THE WHOLE 15 CENTS IN.” WHEN THE TIME CAME FOR THE

OFFERING, I LOST THE ARGUMENT. I WAS RUBBING MY DIME AND MY NICKEL TOGETHER, AND LIKE A DRUM

BEATING IN MY HEAD, IT KEPT BEATING OVER AND OVER AGAIN, PUT THE WHOLE 15 CENTS IN. I PUT IT IN. I

WATCHED THAT OFFERING PLATE TAKE OUR LAST MONEY IN THE WORLD FURTHER AND FURTHER AWAY

FROM ME.

BUT DON’T YOU KNOW THE LORD BLESSED ME THROUGH THE WORD. THE SERMON THAT SUNDAY WERE,

“THEY THAT WAIT UPON THE LORD SHALL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH. THEY SHALL MOUNT UP ON WINGS AS

EAGLES.” WHEN I LEFT CHURCH I FELT LIKE ONE THEM EAGLES. I WAS FEELING GOOD. I WERE READY TO

WALK THAT 8 MILES BACK HOME. I GOT 1 BLOCK FROM THE CHURCH AND A STRANGE LADY STOPPED ME.

SHE SAID, MISTER, I DON’T KNOW YOU, AND I DON’T KNOW IF YOU NEED WORK OR NOT, BUT HERE, TAKE

THIS ADDRESS, AND IF YOU DO NEED WORK THERY’RE HIRING TOMORROW. AND I SAID, THANK YOU JESUS.

AND I WALKED ANOTHER BLOCK AND THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD SAID, LOOK DOWN. WHEN I LOOKED DOWN I

SEEN A DIME, AND I SAID, THANK YOU JESUS. HE THEN CONCLUDED THE STORY SAYING, AS SOON AS I

PICKED THAT DIME UP A BUS WERE COMING AND I SAID, THANK YOU JESUS........I GOT UP ON THE BUS, I PUT

MY DIME IN AND THE BUS DRIVER GIVE ME 15 CENTS BACK CHANGE. I SAID, MISTER I AIN’T GIVE YOU NO

QUARTER, I GIVE YOU A DIME.....THE BUS DRIVER SAID, SHUT UP MAN, AND SIT DOWN. I SAID, THANK YOU

JESUS.....

I GOT BACK HOME ON THE LORD’S DAY, BLESSED BY THE LORD’S WORD, BLESSED BY THE LORD’S WORK,

BLESSED BY THE LORD WITH A JOB, BLESSED BY THE LORD WITH THE SAME 15 CENTS I LEFT HOME WITH.

AND THAT JOB I WENT TO THE NEXT DAY TO INTERVIEW, I HELD THAT JOB FOR 33 YEARS. THANK YOU

JESUS, THANK YOU JESUS, THANK YOU JESUS......

IT WAS THE MAN’S HUMILITY THAT SHINED THROUGH…AGAIN AND AGAIN IN THE STORY......

AND I CLOSE THIS MORNING, WITH FINAL LINES OF LORA ELLEN McKINNEY’S BOOK GETTING TO AMEN: 8

STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING CONFLICT........

HER 8 WAYS ARE WORTHY OF OUR CONSIDERATION, FOR CONFLICT IN CHURCH, IN THE WORK PLACE AND AT

HOME…AND EACH ARE WORTHY OF A SERMON IN AND OF ITSELF....BUT HERE THEY ARE BELOVEDS:

1) PRAY WITHOUT CEASING

2) BELIEVE FERVENTLY

3) QUESTION INTENTLY

4) LISTEN CAREFULLY

5) ENTER HUMBLY.....THE GIFT WE SHALL BRING SURELY INTO 2023

6) LOVE ONE ANOTHER OPENLY, ESPECIALLY IF IT FEELS DIFFICULT

7) ASK JEHOVAH SHALOM, THE GOD OF PEACE TO LIVE IN OUR HEARTS

8) AND TO GUIDE OUR PATHS

LET US PRAY.......