The Apron of Humility (03/04/2026)

This morning, after reading the gospel for the day (Matthew 20:17-28) where Jesus challenged the disciples and followers to put down their pride because they were called not to be served but to serve, my mind jumped to my aprons. I have quite a few. And I remembered anew one of my favorite expressions from scripture, paraphrased by me for years as I daily put on my real aprons: “Put on the apron of humility and serve the LORD.”

As a young woman, wife and mother, I put on an apron every day to clean, to cook, to serve my family. The neighborhood children were used to seeing me in an apron when they came to play. They mailman knew me as the lady with an apron, I found out later. It was part of my uniform. But it was also part of my spiritual journey. Through my aprons, I found my spiritual posture change from cocky to humble, from entitled to empowered.

Wearing an apron reminded me daily as I tied the sash that I was sent to serve others with all my love. I need material reminders on my journey at times. It helps me to remember why I’m on the journey in the first place. And it helps me to remember who I am. And it helps to explain why my favorite religious image is of Jesus washing the feet of Peter. It reminds me that Jesus served selflessly and calls me to walk in His footsteps, and it will require an apron.

During this Lenten season especially, it is a good time for me to refresh my aprons and to recall all over again how He spoke to me so powerfully through those words and through a piece of cloth that others saw as symbolic of servanthood.

This weekend, my family is gathering for a family celebration of March birthdays (my husband’s, my daughter’s, and my grandson’s). And they will all come expecting me to be in my apron, because that’s what I do. Maybe this time I will share with them that it’s not so much what I do as who I hope I am. I’m trying.

May we all take time and prayer to turn to our LORD and ask for the grace and will to serve Him and one another lovingly.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.