Wednesday, December 9, 2015

More Humble Pie Please

I’d like another slice of humble pie please—but I have to let you know I’m pretty picky about where it comes from and who makes it. I prefer to only eat what I fondly refer to as Heavenly Humble Pie prepared in the Divine Bakery.  
 I made this Humble Pie from www.food.com/recipe/humble-pie
Tasted delicious!

The ingredients used are simple and yet superb; every bite is meant to be savored.  I can’t help myself.  I want more and I think you might want to get in on the deal as well.

You, God, and humble pie—with a little bit of C.S. Lewis and LeBron James thrown into the mix. Hopefully, I’ve piqued your interest a bit.

You may not see the connection or even like the sound of it. In fact, the mere mention of being humbled by God sounds pretty intimidating but hear me out and remember, this isn’t just any old pie.

The term “humble pie” originated in medieval times and was known as a type of meat pastry, most likely made from various pieces and parts of deer.  In today’s common usage, to eat humble pie is to acknowledge or apologize for an error.
 
When you’ve repeatedly boasted how unbeatable your favorite sports team is to your friends and family and your team is pummeled in a competition, you better get out the humble pie and cut yourself a big slice. 

In this case, the act of humbling implies you are demonstrating humility, as in “I was wrong.” And if your ego has a major investment in that sports team as well, humility can easily turn into humiliation.

But let’s set that situation aside for now, and consider another perspective—one where humbling is not confused with the very different act of humiliation. 

What if we were able to look at humbling oneself or living in a state of humility as a desirable, rather than an embarrassing, ego crushing state that at all costs should be avoided? 

C.S. Lewis stated that, 
“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” 
And for some reason, I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately—about the many times I have been humbled by witnessing the Divine at work.  
At such moments, I am caught off-guard.  These are the precious times when I come to realize, in the most basic way, that it’s not about me.  It’s about something greater than, that exists within each one of us if we choose to move beyond ego and tap into that higher spirit.

Le Bron James, all time basketball great and favored son from Akron, Ohio stated recently,
“I’m just playing the game I love and I’ll do anything for.  And some of the benefits that’s coming with it is the humbling side.  It’s the blessed side.”  

I love that analogy—humbling equals blessing—so much better than a punishment.

Take a trip to the Grand Canyon and sit on a rock overlooking the breath-taking landscape of colors and shapes. Undergo a healing within oneself where the grief or anger that weighed heavily upon your heart has been transformed to a sense of peace, love, or forgiveness.  Beat cancer when the deck was clearly stacked against you.   

With all of these things—you can’t believe that something so impossible became possible—recognizing that we humans alone could not take credit for this miracle. Something far greater, beyond our limited scope of control was at work.

My ego tells me humbling “ain’t so good” but my heart sings with the thought that eating humble pie from the Divine Bakery is a good thing.
   
What if we actually realized the benefits, as in Divinely Inspired Benefits, that accrued if we actively sought out this way of being and incorporated it into our day-to-day lives?

What if we were able to say, without fear of retaliation, “Please God, allow me to be humbled.”  Would that be so bad?
 
If nothing else, just think about it.  Imagine a positive way of looking at the act of being humbled.  Put the image into the context of your life and consider how seeing the daily beauty and blessings in our midst could only add to the human experience.
 
Heavenly Humble Pie Prayer

Please (I show respect by asking)

God (that Higher Spirit that lives within and beyond)

Allow (there is a choice)

Me (my human self with all its beauty and flaws)

To Be (without expectations—to just “be” in your Presence)

Humbled (the depths of my soul acknowledge and honor your grace and blessings)