Maw Maw

This weekend we had a surprise 80th birthday party for my grandma, better known to the world as 'Maw Maw.' She is an amazing woman, widely admired for her blazing heart for Jesus, her sensitivity to the Spirit, and the depth of her intimacy with God. One of my favorite things about Maw Maw is her lively sense of humor... 'spunky' even. There is a real joy that flows out of the deep wells of her young spirit.

While she was opening her presents, with every eye locked in on her, she started leading the whole group in singing 'Blessed Assurance.' A cool old man in the back row broke out his harmonica and started playing along. It was amazing. In a way, that tells the story of who she is. Even though she was the center of attention, she quickly turned it away from herself and onto her greatest Love.

If at the root of sin is the shifting of our focus away from God and curving it inward upon ourselves, then maybe at the heart of holiness is turning our focus away from ourselves and humbly submitting to the unrivaled reign of God. Maw Maw is a beautiful portrait of this kind of surrendered life.