In Romans 12, St. Paul talks about the humility that comes with understanding all of life as a gift. I get that a bit more this week. When we think about gifts, the usual thing is, am I willing to receive your gifts. Since your gifts are different than mine, the logic goes, I have to go out of myself to appreciate you. That is true.
But here's the other side of that exchange: I feel humbled and honored to have my gifts accepted. When people invite me to the hospital, and I'm there with them when they are not in their Sunday best, when they aren't in a position to show me or the world that they've really got it together, I feel incredibly fortunate, blessed.
Maybe you never thought of calling your pastor to visit when you're hurting in body or soul as a gift to him. But it is. I can be a pastor because you open the door. I am not a pastor, in a sense, until you give me the gift of letting me be your pastor. That's humbling. Paul got it right...again.
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