Learn Humbly!

Dave Anderson is a graduate of West Point, a decorated combat veteran (Bronze Star), spent 20 years with a Fortune 50 Company, is coauthor with his father of the Amazon Best Seller book, “Becoming a Leader of Character”, and is a business consultant. Dave shares this dramatic true story at his website (andersonleadershipsolutions.com).

Very few stories of Humility ever make the news. Sports stars and politicians fight for the spotlight and the media gives it to them. The people we should emulate are the ones who don’t need the spotlight. Sam Rayburn illustrates for us what great Humility looks like. You can read about him here in less than 3 minutes!

Great Power with Great Humility

Andersons’ 12 Word or less Definition of Humility: Believing and acting like “It’s not about me.”

Powerful people rarely lack confidence, but they often lack Humility.

Sam Rayburn served as the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the United States Congress for seventeen years (holding the record for the longest tenure during his three terms in the 1940s and 50s). As the Speaker of the House, Sam Rayburn wielded incredible power and prestige. He was third in the line of succession to the presidency.

One day, he found out that the teenage daughter of a reporter friend had tragically died. Early the next morning, Sam Rayburn knocked on the door of his friend. When the door opened, Rayburn asked if there was anything he could do. His friend stammered and replied, “I don’t think there is anything you can do. We are making all the arrangements.”

“Well, have you had your coffee this morning?” Rayburn asked.

“No. We haven’t had time.” said the grieving man.

“Well,” the Speaker of the House replied, “I can at least make the coffee.”

As he watched this powerful man make him coffee, the father suddenly remembered something. “Mr. Speaker, I thought you were supposed to be having breakfast at the White House this morning.”

“Well, I was, but I called the President and told him I had a friend who was in trouble, and I couldn’t come.”

Sam Rayburn turned down breakfast with the President of the United States to make coffee for a grieving friend. Great Humility can be exercised by people of great power.

(Dave goes on to talk about character.) Developing Character

1.    Our character starts with our thoughts.

2.    Our thoughts shape our words.

3.    Our words influence our actions.

4.    Our actions, repeated over time, become our habits.

5.    Habits form our character.

We can all use Sam Rayburn’s exercise of great Humility to shape our thoughts, our words, and our actions. Each time we make a choice (i.e. take action) it makes it easier to make that same choice again. That is how we develop habits, and our habits form our character.

Are you ready to learn with Humility? Jesus gave only one description of Himself: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29). Let’s be like Jesus!

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This Sunday, May 25, we will continue our teaching series, “One Month to Live!” What if you knew you only had 30 days to live? What choices would you make? This Sunday? Learn Humbly! Please invite someone to join you in the building or online for the Live broadcast on either Facebook (Honolulu AG) or our YouTube channel (Honolulu Assembly of God). We Livestream every Sunday to both locations and would love to have you join us.

Coming Up: Pentecost Sunday is June 8 and we will celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the birth of the church (Acts 2). The following Sunday, June 15, is Father’s Day & presbyter Terry Wong will be our special speaker.

Aloha ke Akua!