SKATEBOARDING = HUMILITY

As I woke up this morning, I was reminded that our bodies are simply frail vessels. . . a lesson I was forced to learn since I flew off my skateboard yesterday when I was on my way to class at ASU. After seeing that I was alive without too much blood being shed, my first reaction was this. . . I looked around to see who had seen me. Now why did I do this? The question is simple. . .I am a prideful being. Immediately I became self-conscious as to what people might have been thinking. . ."Is he okay," "he needs to learn how to skate," "is that blood on the ground," "ride the bus next time buddy," and the list goes on and on of what I thought they could have been thinking. Luckily for my pride the catalysmic tumble was only out in lot 59 so there was probably less than 5 people that saw my glory dive onto the pavement. However, this little incident reminded me that my security is not found in the thoughts or viewpoints of others, but it is found only in Christ. I was humbled by a mere fall to the ground whereas Christ humbled himself by becoming obedient to death on a cross (Phil. 2). Also, I believe that there is a difference between true humility and being humbled. Christ had true humility, yet I was simply humbled at my own shortcomings as a skater. I am so thankful that this experience has helped me ponder a few lessons for my sanctifying pursuit of God. I can now reflect on how this frail body of mine will one day be completely sanctified in heaven, how Christ's humility should be the example for my life, and how I should seek true humility not simply the act of being humbled. . . however, I'm not sure which one will hurt worse.

Praise the Lord, but the day didn't end after I had finished all of my classes. As I was skating back to lot 59, I happened to run into a buddy of mine that I had known from highschool (this time it wasn't literally running into him, I simply saw him riding his skateboard as well. ) God opened a door for us to hang out since I told him that I wasn't very good yet on the skateboard (showing him my recent injuries). So he taught me a few things, and we had some great fellowship as well. Anyway, this guy is a great believing brother that goes to a different church. I was really encouraged by being able to hang out with him for about an hour as we both skated around the campus.

After talking about skating, theology, classes, missions, life, books, etc, I believe we were both extremely encouraged to really make our lives count. We ended up finishing our skateboard ride at Lot 59 where my car was at, and I was able to give him my Adonirum Judson biography audio message by John Piper.

I had been feeling a little discouraged because I hadn't made the most of all my time at ASU in sharing the gospel, and this fellow believer (Andre) really encouraged me to simply glorify God in whatever I do. Whether it is skateboarding, falling off the skateboard, sitting at Starbucks in the MU, buying books (yikes), or whatever. For truly we are not firstly missionairies, we are worshippers. As Piper puts it in Let the Nations be Glad, "Missions exists because worship does not." I was reminded that I don't need to be having a conversation about the gospel every second of the day, but I do need to be worshipping at all times, and if we are truly worshipping, God will give us opportunities to share his name.