Leadership Thought: A Valuable Lesson in Humility Learned While Calling Balls and Strikes.

Dear Friends,

D. L. Moody once remarked, “Be humble or you’ll stumble.” At an age when I should by now have learned that lesson, I confess I am still learning it. Too many times in my life I have stumbled because of my failure to be humble.

Although it happened almost 20 years ago, the experience has forever burned its way into my memory.  It took place on the Florida Atlantic University baseball field.  For many years I umpired high school baseball, and one year I had the opportunity to work some college games. I felt I had done reasonably well in the seven or eight games I had been assigned, and there was a growing sense of pride developing within my heart. “This isn't that difficult,” I thought to myself. "Play is a little faster than high school, but I can handle it." Overconfidence had set in, and my prideful bubble was about to dramatically burst.

I had been assigned to do the Rutgers Kansas State game. Both teams were on their pre-season southern spring trip to Florida. I knew some of the players on Rutgers, and I had coached some of those players on a high school travel team on which my son had played. I also knew several of the players’ parents who had come south to watch their sons play. That prideful sinful nature within me was anxious to show those parents how that New Jersey pastor had progressed in the ranks as an umpire. This is where the problem began, for I was more focused on impressing these parents than calling the game. 

Suddenly in the sixth inning I lost my focus, not a good thing to do in any game, but especially in a tight one run game where tensions were high and emotions were on edge. I blew a pitch, really blew it. It was way high and I called it a strike, and I knew the moment I made the call that I had missed the pitch badly. It was obvious to everyone, including those friends in the stands. The next inning the same thing happened, and I missed badly on a pitch that was in the dirt and I called it a strike. This time it  was on the other team, and now I had both coaches yapping at me. I was so embarrassed that  I would have ditched my umpiring gear and run off the field if I could. The only positive thing I could think of was that at least I had been fair in my failure as both teams were the victims of my poor umpiring. I remember walking off the field that day thinking that this is one of the worst games I have ever called as an umpire. I apologized to my partner, got in my car, and quickly sped away, leaving my short-lived college umpiring career in my rear-view mirror. 

Pride and over confidence had caught up with me. I stumbled, and yes, I was humbled, and it happens again and again whenever I take my eyes off God and began trusting in my own strength, ability, and experience.

I contrast my experience with that of William Carey, who is known as the father of the modern-day mission movement . For much of his life he was a humble cobbler until God called him to the mission field in India. His mission work became well known throughout the world. He became one of the finest linguists the church has ever known, translating the Bible into 24 Indian languages. But not everyone appreciated him. Some disdained his lack of education, and were quick to ridicule his rudimentary educational background. One evening at a dinner, a rather distinguished man, in an effort to embarrass Carey, said in a loud enough voice for all to hear: “Mr. Carey, I hear you were a Shoemaker before you became a missionary.” Carey looked up and humbly responded, “No Sir, that is not true. I was a cobbler who only mended shoes, not a shoemaker who made shoes.”

William Carey recognized his value to the Kingdom was not based upon anything but his moment-by-moment dependence upon the Lord. It is true that when we humble ourselves before the Lord, a vacuum is formed, and when it does, God always steps in to fill that vacuum.

Jesus in referring to himself, said “I am meek and humble of heart.” What accounted for that humility, the kind of humility that would humble himself and become a man, and take on the role of a servant and would humble himself and became obedient unto death upon a cross? ( Philippians 2:8).

Jesus’ humility came from His dependence on the Father. He could have used His own power, and His own position to secure whatever He desired, but instead He depended completely on the Father to provide whatever He might need.

And when our focus is only on pleasing God, we will forget about trying to impress others with our personality, performance, power, or position, and we will avoid the pitfalls of pride that will ultimately embarrass us and bring us to our knees. It is so true: Pride always goes before a fall.

D. L Moody was right: “Be humble or you’ll stumble.

Have a great weekend.

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

P.S. And always remember, as someone once said, "that humility is that characteristic that when you think you have achieved it, is the very moment you lose it.”