Where Are You From?

I’ve never visited Harry Truman’s home in Key West.
But I read something about him this week that stayed with me.

When he was President, he kept a small sign on his desk. On one side it read, “The Buck Stops Here.” On the side facing him, it said, “I am from Missouri.”

It wasn’t geography.
It was grounding.

It was his way of remembering who he was before the office, before the influence, before the authority.

Humility is not thinking less of yourself.
It is remembering where you are from.

Leadership, whether in the church, at work, or in our families, can quietly pull us toward self importance. We start to believe the role defines us.

But Scripture tells a different story. Before Israel stepped into the future, Moses reminded them who carried them through the wilderness. Not their strength. Not their strategy.

God.

Humility begins with remembering.

Remembering who found you.
Who sustained you.
Who loves you, not because you earned it, but because God chose you.

So this week, ask yourself:

Where am I from?

Not the town.
Not the résumé.
Not the job title.

Spiritually speaking, where did God find me? What wilderness has God carried me through?

Humility grows when memory grows.

This Sunday, we will talk about learning To Trust the Route, especially when we do not understand it. I hope you will join us for worship. And if you are feeling brave, bring your best chili or soup at 5 p.m. We still need a few entries.

I am from Arkansas. What about you?

With Gratitude,

Rev. Rodney Whitfield
Senior Pastor
Aldersgate UMC