Humble Pie

Part of the process of being a church planter is that of "Assessment." In other words, before an organization will invest their resources into you as a church planter, they want to make sure that it is a good investment. Leslie and I are going through assessment with five other couples in November. In preperation for the assessment we were directed to a website that would distribute three psychological tests that would be used (against us) to help analyze our strengths and weaknesses.

Now you have to understand that I like these tests. I find them fascinating and not the least bit intimidating. Leslie on the other hand feels quite the opposite. So I go first. In taking all three of these tests, it takes a little more than three hours of solid sitting in front of the computer to finish. I was fascinated by the fact that one of the tests includes some math and logic questions rather than the simple, "Would you rather be at a party or sit at a computer" type questions. I like that, math and logic. We homeschool our kids and I teach math and logic to my 4th and 6th grader. In fact, at one time I was pretty good at math having gotten through Calculus in high school.

I attack the questions with eagerness and breeze through it.

Now enters my wife. It's her turn to face the music and she does not like it one bit. I obviously can't influence her answers so I disappear (showing up every so often because I know that the math and logic questions are coming). There were three questions that were particularly tough and I'm just curious as to how she will handle them.

Let me make a long story short. I peak over her shoulder as she answers the tough questions. I really wanted to give her some advice on them, but I refused (gotta keep the test honest). After she had committed to her answers I could finally come to the rescue. "Honey, you got all three wrong, but those were really tough ones." So she asked me to explain how to get the right answers. One by one I explained. One by one she explained how she got her answers. One by one I realized that she was right on every answer and I was wrong.

Burning. Confusion. Frustration. Those were just what I was feeling the next morning when I woke up. "Now they are going to think I don't have a brain cell in my body." "Who is going to let a guy without logic start a church?" Those were just a few of my thoughts. But mostly, it was dealing with the fact that my lovely wife who hates personality tests schooled me in math and logic. God hates the proud and exhalts the humble.

I guess that is what I need to remember as we venture into this church plant. It's not about me...it's about God in me. Abraham lied. Jacob decieved. Moses stuttered. Joshua and Gideon were fearful. Elijah ran away. James and John fought for prominance. Peter denied. Paul fought the very work of God. John Mark got homesick. I can't find anyone in Scripture who did what they did based on their own skill or ability. It was all about God in them.