Love them

While running errands this morning, my little man and I had stopped at a stop sign.  It was a four way stop with four lanes of traffic running east-west and two lanes running north-south.  We came to a stop at just about the same time as a car perpendicular to us.  Just after we came to a stop, another car stopped right next to us.  It was obvious to me that he stopped after the other car at the intersection.  But in a move typical of today's self-loving society, the car that stopped at the stop sign last seemed to think that it was his turn to go first.  I observed this as he pulled forward and the other car pulled forward at the same time.  The last car ended up going first and I applaud the other driver that gave over her right of way. 

"So the last will be first, and the first will be last." Matthew 20:16

It reminded me that as we (Christ followers) head out into society every day, we must continually fight our fleshly desires to be first, to put ourselves first, to take the right of way.  We must continually hand that desire over to God.  Then in true Jesus fashion, we must love the other driver by letting them go first.  Love your spouse by letting them be right (even if they aren't).  Love a stranger at the grocery store by letting them have the last one (even if you really wanted it, whatever it may be).  We are called to "...Love your neighbor as yourself" Leviticus 19:18 which means going against what is the norm in our self-loving, selfish society.

It is a constant struggle, it is challenging.

I challenge myself to it every day...sometimes I succeed and sometimes I fail.  But those times that I succeed, I bring glory to God.  And I thank Him for loving me.

I challenge you to it as well.

In His Grace....