The Gospel According to Mr. Miyagi

I love the scene in the movie when Mr. Miyagi and Danny are walking up the beach. They've just finished some training, they're ready to go home, but a couple of guys are drinking at Mr. Miyagi's truck. They have their empty beer bottles lines up nice and neat on the truck. Mr. Miyagi politely asked them to move but they refused. Then, seizing the teachable-moment, Miyagi chops all three beers in half with one karate chop! The hooligans pack it up in a hurry. Here's the dialogue in the truck between Miyagi and Danny:
Daniel: How did you do that? How did you do that?
Mr. Miyagi: Don't know. First time.

Mr. Miyagi could have waxed-eloquent about his training, discipline, technique or something else, but he didn't. For Miyagi, the gospel requires humility. It demands that one be open, honest, real and truthful. Here's proof:
Daniel: Hey, what kind of belt do you have?
Mr. Miyagi: Canvas. JC Penney, 3.98; You like?

Again, he could have talked all about his karate abilities and compared himself to others, others of course he could claim he's better than. But he didn't. Miyagi prefers to, in the words of St. Paul, consider others better than he is. Miyagi would, in the words of a friend, make himself uncomfortable so that others can be comfortable.
So it is with the gospel of Jesus. He willingly laid his life down for his friends. He, the great teacher, washed the feet of his disciples. He came to serve, not to be served. For us to be truly Christian we must also be humble.