Unforeseen Humility by Terry Gardner

Last week I was enjoying the magnificent scenery of Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.  Their annual lectureship program was in full swing.  I was staying on the campus along with Connie and our friend Phil Stoops.  Friday dawned bright, clear and sunny.  It was a good day to be alive.  That morning I received a text message from work complimenting a recent project.  I then headed to a classroom to make a presentation on the remarkable life of Austin McGary.

There was an excellent turn out for my McGary presentation.  Lots of friends and new acquaintances.  John Wilson, the Dean of Pepperdine was present and Tom Olbricht, former head of the Pepperdine Religion Department gave me a very kind introduction.  I gave one of my better speeches on McGary's life and character.  Lots of very kind and encouraging comments after the talk was over.  I was feeling very good and perhaps a bit too pleased with myself.

Not long after my talk, as I left another speech, I made a hard right hand turn directly into a floor to ceiling plate glass window.  If you've ever seen a bird fly into a window you have some idea of my reaction to being stopped cold by a barrier I never even saw.  The impact points were my face and my right knee.  I was walking but still fell to the ground ... stunned!  As I sat there for a moment or two I was trying to discern how badly I had injured myself.  My right knee was bruised but not too badly.  The skin inside and outside my nose was broken and bleeding but not profusely.  I made my way to Lectureship central doing my best to keep from bleeding on people.  I picked up several band-aids and made my way to the restroom happy that at least I had not seen anyone I knew.  As I washed blood off my nose Robert Hooper, a friend and a long time history teacher from Lipscomb University came into the men's room, looked at me rather quizzically and inquired if I needed any assistance.  "No," I replied.  "I am fine."  We'll not exactly fine, but not in need of any assistance.

Solomon reminds us that "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall."  (Prov. 16:18).  It is good to remember that we are all human, we all sin and we all need the love and mercy of Jesus.  God loves the humble and he resists the proud.  It also helps to watch where you are going.

Terry