Detour into the Valley of Humiliation

Early this morning my 7yr. old and the 5 yr. old were sitting together in the recliner listening to an Adventure In Odyssey called Pilgrim's Progress Revisited. We really like those episodes. I can't quite recall what I was doing but the story started talking about the valley of humiliation. Christian was going through the Valley of Humiliation.

What exactly is the Valley of Humiliation? Is that where we make a total fool out of ourselves and God removes any pride left over?

I'm not sure I can define it well, but it stirred some memories which I would classify as in my valley of humiliation folder. I haven't lived long and really don't know if this would qualify, but as a Christian we must all pass through some of these.

I was in my Sophomore year in High School and had been saved about a year. Some schools are good and some are not so good. This one happen to be in the not so good with a few exceptional teachers category. The class I was not doing so good in had a teacher that was probably a good in his prime, but as of late had a sleeping disorder and yet was still employed and teaching the present subject.

That day we had an exam. As I was turning in my test my teacher must have been having a good dream because he was past the stage of dozing. He also must have fallen sleep before he put away the test with the answers. So there it was laying out before me- The answer sheet and I could tell, even upside down what the answers were and mine were not right! I decided not to turn my test in and disturb the teacher's rest and went back to my seat. After I changed my answers, I turned in the test and returned to my seat. As soon as I sat down, a classmate of mine looked at me and said,

"I thought you said you were a Christian?" Do you sense the silence in the air?

This was probably one of my first Valley's of Humiliation. It was as though Satan himself was taunting me. But it seemed more like the Lord was looking straight at me. I had done more than just sin. I had brought shame to the name of Christ.

I left the class by letting the teacher know, and asking him to just give me a zero on it.

I went home and wept. How could I go back to school? Those were my thoughts. How could I continue to try to live like a Christian when I had failed the Lord and brought shame to the gospel? I called my pastor for advise and he very wisely comforted me and thought the best course of action was to apologize to those I thought perhaps had seen it. And that's what I did the next day. I told them I was sorry for what I had done- for the example I had set. They have no idea how sorry I was to have misrepresented the Lord. Most scoffed at it and thought it was silly. The classmate who ushered those words said,

"You're really serious about this Christian thing."

Life went on and I survived that Valley, but I learned a great deal about repentance and humiliation before the Lord. These Valleys of Humiliation are not pleasant, but they are needful. They make us realize that without Christ's help and an honest and sincere heart we cannot please God. They help us see the subtleness of sin, our weaknesses, and how our righteousness is as filthy rags.
These are lessons that turn dross into gold.