Allenby: Greatness and humility

In Israel, the name of General Edmund Allenby was mentioned twice to us, as one individual who lived out his calling as a great warrior for God.

As the commander of the British forces, he liberated Jerusalem, capturing the Holy City on 9 December, 1917. Although a victorious, conquering general, and the master of cavalry warfare, Allenby and his men famously dismounted their horses and entered the city on foot through the Jaffa Gate. One version of events is that this man of God felt that if Christ Jesus his Lord entered Jerusalem on a donkey, far be it for him to do so on a horse. So he walked in on foot. This is humility worth emulating.

I like this definition by Jack Hayford on how to live out humility (esp Points 6 & 7, when we find out how great is God's special calling on each one of us):

1. Never slight anyone who cannot help you to favour someone else who can
2. Treat everyone with respect, whether you like them or not
3. Be willing to admit you need prayer
4. Try to always encourage others
5. Always forgive quickly and be hard to offend
6. Always be thankful and never really sure why God wants to use you
7. Let whatever God does for you or through you never cease to amaze you

Speaking of making a difference, the Singaporeans among us on the SOM had a warm fuzzy feeling while in Israel when we heard about the good things our fellow countrymen had done. This latest SOM school comprised about 90 of us from the nations - there were Finns, Americans, Australians, Singaporeans, New Zealanders, Canadians etc, and a couple from Ghana. And guess what? The Ghanaian couple was there on the sponsorship of an annonymous Singaporean! Whilst in Israel, we also heard from the pastor of a thriving Arab Christian congregation that a number of years ago, God called him to build a new church. The building project cost millions, and at crunch time, when he needed finances in to pay the contractors, his banker called him to say that USD 50,000 had been wired to him. And again guess what, the money had come from an annonymous Singaporean!

Wow. I was quite floored. God has blessed our little nation with prosperity for a reason, and I am soooo proud of fellow Christians in our land for blessing the nations. Go Singapore!

Prayer today: Father God, thank you that by your grace, we can be the force that changes the world. This is true wherever you have placed us - in the marketplace, in government, in the military, in education, in church, in the media, or the arts. When you enable us by your spirit to do amazing things for you, help us to be humble and never cease to marvel at what you do for us or through us. In Jesus' name, Amen.