⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 

Philippians 2:8 (ESV)

TO THE POINT OF DEATH

We sat in the parking lot at the end of a crushed-shell driveway. I felt nervous — like my first time at NorthStar. Two cars sat in front of a tiny cinderblock building. The sign had blown away in a previous hurricane.

As we went in, two things became apparent. First, we were the only white people there — not a surprise, given that the church was there to serve the local Bahamian population. But more surprising was how tiny it was. I mean, it was about the size of our small group. Our family of four almost doubled the congregation. There were a few fishermen, a doctor, and Mama June, who was the oldest woman in the town.

Later that day, Pastor Kirk and his wife invited us to their home. The entire house was a single room — for the two of them and their daughter — with no AC. Yet they had cooked us an enormous meal: barbecue chicken, peas and rice, mac and cheese, potato salad. They even sent us home with enough leftovers to last a week.

Kirk wanted to show my sons a large boa he had killed that morning. As we walked down the street, he told me that he was aware of how small the church was, but that as long as he was doing the will of God and being obedient, nothing else mattered. He asked me what my church was like back in Atlanta.

“Oh, well, it’s large. There’s a band with drums, and the pastor likes to talk about baseball a lot. I think we have around three thousand members.”

He stopped walking. “Three thousand?”

I stopped as well, worried I had offended him. But he smiled as my boys found the snake and said, “Praise God.”

As we work for the Lord, Christ Himself instructs us to stay humble. When I think of humility, the first person who comes to mind is Pastor Kirk. The size of your mission does not matter. Your reward in heaven does not have a per-person multiplier. The real question is this: Are you being obedient to the unique call Jesus has placed on your life?

And as you follow in obedience, I’d like to add one more thought: you follow an all-good God. If God calls you to the stands before the masses or to the trenches in the remote, His plan for you is good. Not easy. Not convenient. But when we follow our God, we’re following the anchor of goodness — and obedience to a good God is worth it every single time.

Curt Bowen is a husband, father, and group leader who loves engaging in apologetics, theology, and good BBQ. A thrill-seeker at heart, he enjoys roller coasters and has an appreciation for snakes—just not the conversational type.