The Lowest Place

The Lowest Room
by N.V. Tilak
Grant me to give to men what they desire,
And for my portion take what they do slight.
Grant me, Lord, a mind that doth aspire
To less than it may claim of proper right.
Rather, the lowest place, at all men's feet
That do Thou graciously reserve for me.
This only bounty I would fain entreat,
That Thy will, my God, my will be.
And yet one other boon must Thou bestow;
I name it not ... for Thou dost know.

I've been gripped for months by this poem which I've posted here twice before. Only this week, God gave me a new insight about what "the lowest place" really means.

We've all heard the insight about John 13 that washing feet was the lowest task, something reserved for servants - the exact lesson Jesus wanted to teach the disciples. But the willingness to get down by His feet leads to another privilege, one He called the "choice part" (Luke 10:38-42).

What He taught me was that when I embrace "the lowest place", serving others, I find myself at His feet. And in God's economy, that is the best place.

I'm learning to die to self and give up my right to be right. I'm also learning the truth of what CS Lewis meant when he encouraged graduates to shun "the inner ring" - that place of earthly influence and significance. Because the only "inner circle" that really matters is the one in His presence.

What low place is He calling you to today? What inner ring do you have to give up? Trust Him that when you bow to serve, you'll find yourself at His feet. And when you give up the pursuit of those earthly spheres of influence, you'll find yourself in His presence in a whole new way.

His call to serve turns everything upside down. Which makes it right.