A Sobering Moment Like None Other

A little background knowledge… for the last year and a half, the Lord has really been preparing and prepping me for leadership. I knew He was calling me to leadership rolls, and wanted me to be ready. A few months ago I discovered that me and another friend are leading a six month school that is a disciple school for young adults. After this news I came to the Lord feeling incredibly inadequate for this. I laid down all my fears and concerns, and decided then and there the ONLY way I can do this is by Him working through me!!! My biggest concern was am I humble enough for this position???? I prayed this out, and I told God that I want to be a humble leader and never feel better than anyone because of what I am doing. I very desperately said that when ever pride sneaks up on me, I give You full permission to humble me in that moment. Now, for those of you who have ever prayed these types of prayers, you understand how dangerous they are. But I was totally desperate in that moment… and ultimately, I need this! Now if you have had any contact with me over the last few months, you probably are aware of this, and have seen it in action or already heard some stories of how God has humbled me… if not, read this!

My dad phones me and tells me before I drive into the city, I HAVE to go to the gas station and fill the front two tires with air. They are very low and will be ruined if I drive into the city with them like this. I hang up the phone and immediately wonder if this is even worth me going to the city. I hate filling my tires with air! Now, I have only done this a few times, but each time I some how forget how to do it and end up making a fool of myself. But I shake of the old memories and decide I am a grown woman and this is a life skill I need to have. I get into my car and on my way to the station I mentally prepare myself and turn this into something positive. “You can do this Hailey!!! It will be easy! Real quick, just in and out, no one will see me… it’s not rocket science!” I pull up to the station and turn off the car. I walk into the station with my head held high, and simple ask for the gage thingy to tell me when there is enough air. The man tells me it is attached. I walk back thinking, I don’t ever remember it being attached. So, I grab the thingy and get down on one knee. “it’s not rocket science Hailey….. You can do this!” I screw off the little cap and place the air thingy over it. I got this! Then I had a thought…. You know I look pretty good doing this. I mean, I am having a good hair day, and my make up is very nicely done also. Any guy would be lucky to have me! I am young, attractive, and I can put air in my tires, all around I am just a good catch!
I leave my thoughts to see what I am doing and realize that this little gage thing has stayed at the same number and isn’t moving. So I try a few different things, but nothing is working. I decided to screw on the cap and try the other tire. After all I don’t want to spend too much time at one tire and have people think I don’t know what I am doing. As I walk around to the other side, a man walking by says “Do you need a hand with that” I look over at him thinking… “excuse me sir, I may be young, attractive and female… but I know how to put air in my tires!” instead I decided to play it cool. “oh I am ok, it took me a second to figure it out, but I got it thanks.”
So I get down on one knee again, unscrew the little cap thing and place the air thingy on the other thing. Still it doesn’t really seem to be working. Now I know this guy is sitting in his truck watching me, so I tell myself, just make it look like you know what you are doing! So I give it a little while then decide that was enough time to fill my tire. I take off the thingy, and screw the cap back on and get to my feet. Then I hear his voice again… “you do know you have to press that black button, right?” I turn to him and politely say, “excuse me?”
“That black button over there that says start…. You know you have to push it before it will pump out the air”
I look over to the air machine and see a large black button and beside it in big block letters, START. Then under that I notice very clearly, in simple English 4 step instructions on how to use the machine, pictures included. Hmmm… suddenly I think, you know my hair really didn’t look that good, and my make up?? I have done better…
I look back at the man who is now smirking at me with total amusement beaming from his eyes, and simply say thank you.

What a completely sobering moment. I mean I could have been intoxicated and in that moment all traces of alcohol would be gone form my system. What is worse, it is bad enough that I know I am humiliated, but God made me Caucasian, and this means that also anyone looking at my beaming red face knows I am humiliated as well.

But, I was able to laugh about it and was feeling very excited to tell all my friends! I am excited for this season of my life, as God teaches me about humility in every thing I do.