Cross Out The "I"

During the Unity Conference here in Kigali, Dr. Fuder spoke three times on the importance of unity within the body. During one of the sessions he spoke about the importance of selflessness in pursuing unity. He stated that selfishness can thwart and diminish efforts towards unity. He went on to tell a story about a missionary (several years ago) in the Congo. She had been serving there for a number of years, and was having a hard time adjusting to the culture and navigating the culture. Her pastor, who was Congolese, encouraged her to come on a weekend retreat with he and his wife and to only bring her Bible. He encouraged her to get alone over the course of this weekend, to truly seek the Lord, and to see how He would speak to her about "breaking through" in this area of struggle she was having. After a day or two the missionary woman came to her pastor discouraged and said, "I still don't have any answers." The pastor graciously looked at her and said, "Helen you must cross out the 'I'...there is too much Helen in your ministry and not enough Jesus. Cross out the I."

Doc shared that he has never forgotten that story. It has marked his life and ministry. He and his wife Nell try to pray that prayer each morning - "Lord help us to cross out the I today. Give us the grace and the strength to live selflessly in our service to You and of others." It is an expression of Luke 9:23, "And He said to them all, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."

During our time here in Kigali I have observed our host, Pastor Dennis, serve selflessly. He has selflessly served our team. He has selflessly served the Pastors Family Fellowship (a network of pastors). I watched him selflessly serve the group of widows who are genocide survivors. I really believe that he is "pastoring the city." He has a Kingdom mindset that is so attractive. He loves his local flock (the church he pastors), and he serves them. However, he also ministers throughout the city in order to build up "the Church." I have seen in him what Doc was talking about. By God's grace He is crossing out the I.

I don't think I will ever forget that simple phrase, "cross out the I." As we have served together as a team this week I have been reminded of it. Our team has been amazing. I have been humbled by my brothers and sisters selflessness and humility. I have been convicted of the selfishness in my heart. It's my desire to serve selflessly, but at the same time I love to be recognized for it. I have also felt pride and self righteousness well up in my heart when I think I "know better" than one of my teammates. I have even learned how to cloak my pride in humble sounding words and posturing. These examples have made me realize afresh that there's too much Dave in me and not enough Jesus (cross out the I).

This all pushes me to Jesus, the One who "though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God, a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself bye becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:6-8)." I am grateful for the cross.