I Saw It In NYC

This past week my husband accompanied Bishop Taban to the 2013 Clinton Global Citizen Awards.I've hesitated to share what went on during this event because well - somethings are sacred and stay that way when not shared.Isn't this what the mother of Jesus taught us when upon his birth we read, ""When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often." (Luke 2:15-19)As a preacher I tend to share a lot about my life and the life of those I love. I find being authentic helps me and others connect with Jesus better. Imagine. But as much as I share about my life somethings are meant to be kept in the heart.So I won't be sharing many of the "inside stories" about Steve's experience with the Clinton Global Initiative or the awards ceremony.  However, I do want to share what impacted me the most about the week-long celebrations.  I witnessed humility. I've rarely seen real humility. Have you? I'm talking about the kind of humility that pukes in the presence of others giving glory to mankind instead of God?Right after the awards ceremony Bishop asked Steve to help him get back to his hotel. He left. He didn't hang around to be swooned upon. Who does that? Throughout the week of festivities I continued to observe his "removal from the lime light." It didn't take long to realized Bishop was and is uncomfortable with the glory. Let me say that again "he's uncomfortable getting the glory." How many of us can say that and really mean it?Recently a friend said to me, "Jackie go be great." I've been pondering that statement. Go be great. I get what they were saying, it was meant to be inspiring (and boy can't we use a little of that in our lives!) but when I reflect on Scriptures I'm not called to be great I'm called to be faithful. Yet, if I'm honest, and I suspect if you were too, we would have to admit being seen as great is - well- great. It's a rarity when you come across a person who doesn't want to be seen as  great.Today I picked up my Bible and started reading where I left off last week. And there it was staring me in the face (not an accident it came on the heels of my observation of Bishop) "Not to us, O' Lord, not to us, but to your name be given all the glory." (Psalm 115:1) This verse, this verse is why Bishop kept ducking out. This week in the midst of all the celebration and hoopla I saw humility. I saw what it means to live out "not to us but to your name be given all the glory."I pray that more and more I will become a woman who lives out Psalm 115:1.