Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Jesus said, "The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted."¹

Brett Blair shares how "Robert Fulghum, who wrote 'All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten,' says that he placed alongside the mirror in his bathroom a picture of a woman who is not his wife. Every morning as he stood there shaving, he looked at the picture of that woman.

"The picture? The picture is of a small humped-over woman wearing sandals and a blue eastern robe and headdress (sari). She is surrounded by important-looking people in tuxedos, evening gowns, and the regalia of royalty. It is the picture of Mother Teresa, receiving the Nobel Peace Prize!

"Fulghum said he keeps that picture there to remind him that, more than a president of any nation, more than any pope, more than any chief executive officer of a major corporation, that woman has authority because she is a servant!"²

According to Jesus' words, Mother Teresa, at the time of her receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, was quite likely the greatest among all those surrounding her. Fortunately, there are multiplied thousands of others around the world serving God in humble ways with limited means, who, without earthly recognition or fame, are great in the eyes of the Lord. God doesn't call many of us to fame and fortune, but he calls us all to be faithful in serving him with the gifts he has given to us. And if perchance, what we do gains us recognition, fame and/or fortune, let that be used to glorify God in the serving of others.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, whatever my calling, whatever my lot, whatever my circumstances, and whatever my gifting, help me to use all to serve others and glorify you. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Matthew 23:11-12 (NIV).
2. "Giving," Brett Blair at http://www.esermons.com/

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