OACS News Service

Presidential Wood Chopping

As we enter the Christmas season and the month of December I would like to take the opportunity to consider the characteristic of humility.

In Philippians 2 we are instructed to live with a spirit of humility. It states “in humility consider others better than yourselves.”

I am reminded of the story I read recently of a 19th-century college president. Booker T. Washington, a renowned educator, exemplified humility.

Not long after his initial appointment as president of the college he was taking a walk in the well-to-do part of town. There he was stopped by a wealthy woman who had some yard work that needed tending.

Not knowing the famous individual by sight, she asked him if he would like to earn some extra money chopping wood. Because he had no pressing business at the moment, he agreed and smiled as he rolled up his sleeves. He then went about the business of completing the humble chore.

After the chopping was done he spent the extra time to carry the logs into the house and stacked them neatly by the fireplace.

A little girl recognized him and later revealed his identity to the lady. The next day the women went to see him in his office. She was apologetic and embarrassed by the whole incident.

He was gracious enough to reassure her that he enjoyed a little manual labour and it was delight to help her in her time of need.

A truly humble man is hard to find, yet God delights to honour such selfless people. We deal with each other in this community in various relationships and I pray we will cover ourselves with humility with an attitude of loving service as we interact.

Kevin Bouwers is the principal at Dundas Calvin Christian School. He says he is passionate about Christian education, and invites people to "come explore what it means to educate in Jesus' name." You can read more at http://kevinbouwers.blogspot.ca