Me Last

One evening at bath time I heard this from one of my darlings, who thought it was absolutely absurd that her parents make her take a shower every single day...

"I can't wait until I'm an adult, so nobody will tell me what to do!" (insert dramatic eye roll). 

My response, "Honey, I hate to tell you this, but being told what to do, that doesn't go away just because you are an adult."

Authority.

At some point or another we all have some type of problem with authority. Granted, there are times when authority is excessive or even abused, so naturally we would have a problem with that. But the majority of the time our problem with authority boils down to this: we want to do it our own way and we don't like anyone else telling us otherwise. That ugly "p" word. One that I didn't think I had an issue with, which in turn meant I did.

Pride.

The thing that keeps us from submitting to authority. Discussing with others recently this topic of pride, I came to the conclusion that pride is anything that causes you to think you should be first. First in line, first in the conversation, first to be heard, first to receive, first in just about anything. The mentality that I'm deserving because I'm this...insert whatever you want that validates getting your own way.

Humility.

The opposite of pride. A trait not many people know about, practice, or believe in. Viewed often as weakness, although it is far from it. More strength and self-control is required to exhibit this trait; much more than it does to assert your pride in any given situation. To be humble, most often you must be meek, and well meekness today is frowned upon, made fun of, and ignored as having any value.

Jesus thought otherwise. He was both. Humble and meek. He didn't try to assert himself in every room or town he walked in. He didn't try to show everyone what he could do, while screaming, "Hey look at me!" He did the opposite. He went to quiet places to pray. When he miraculously healed someone he often said (paraphrasing), "Hey if you don't mind, let's just keep this between you and me."

Pride screams everyone needs to know about me: my thoughts, my beliefs, my talents, my contributions. Pride screams ME first.

Humility whispers I am content; content with the background being my home, no one knowing my name, and serving others first. Humility whispers me last.

Stop screaming look at me, hear me, pay attention to me.

Learn to be quiet, be humble, be meek. Jesus was and he changed the world.

For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. Matthew 23:12

The first will be last and the last will be first.

With love,

Tori