A Humble Snack

Thanks for joining us for another daily encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Our reading titled A Humble Snack was written by Patricia Rabin. The bag of snack chips was small, but it taught an American missionary a big lesson. Working one evening in the Dominican Republic, she arrived at a church meeting and opened her chips when a woman she hardly knew reached and grabbed a few from the bag. Others helped themselves too.

How rude, the missionary thought. Then she realized a humbling lesson. She didn't yet understand the culture where she'd agreed to serve. Rather than emphasizing individualism, as in the United States, she learned that life in the Dominican Republic is lived in community. Sharing one's food and goods is how people relate to each other.

Her way wasn't better, just different. She confessed, it was very humbling to discover these things about me. As she began to recognize her own biases, she also learned that humbly sharing with others helped her serve them better. In First Peter chapter five, Peter taught this lesson to church leaders, treat others with humility. He counseled the elders to resist lording it over those entrusted to you.

And those younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility. As he declared, God opposes the proud, but shows favor to the humble. Therefore, humble yourselves under God's mighty hand that he may lift you up in due time. May he help us humbly live before him and others today.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from First Peter chapter five, verses one through six. To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ's sufferings, who also will share in the glory to be revealed. Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, watching over them, not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be.

Not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve. Not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud, but shows favor to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand that he may lift you up in due time.

Let's pray. Father, thank you for how other cultures can teach us valuable lessons about how you desire for us to live with one another in community. Help us to set aside our arrogance regarding others and embrace the loving wisdom you share through their example. Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Joyce Dinkins and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.