Don’t Tell Me What to Do!
He must become greater; I must become less. John 3:30 (NIV)
I have thought those words to myself and I have even said them out loud to others in the heat of the moment. Don’t even pretend that this does not apply to you! Why is it so important to be right? What is it inside of us that ruffles our feathers? The first word that comes to mind is pride—that greedy, self-centered, egotistical monster that constantly needs to be watched and reined in.
Pride is the ugly thing that keeps us (mostly men) from asking for directions or saying two difficult words “we’re lost!”. I am forever grateful for GPS these days and I not saying anything more about this subject.
Can you say, “I’m sorry!” easily or does it get stuck in your throat. I try not to offend others because I do not like to apologize, however, I will if I have to. It has not killed me yet.
Understanding self is important. I do not know everything about everything. The question is this: Are we humble enough to acknowledge that there are some things we lack in our lives. Me? I’ll go first, I have absolutely no sense of direction, hence I do not enjoy driving places where I have never been.
The one that gets me heated up is the person (spouse, child, sibling or friend) who says, “I know how to do this.” There are hundreds of miscellaneous parts, nuts and bolts scattered on the floor while the directions remain folded in the box. There is an unpleasant warming sensation that surges through me during these moments.
Being right all the time is a figment of our imagination. No one has ever pulled that one off except Jesus. He did it with quiet dignity. He did not intentionally put others down; although with the questions He asked and parables He spoke, I am sure some felt singled out.
God’s Word tells us exactly what to do. There is no grey area around how we should live, think, give, work and even pray and worship, etc. We come together in Bible Studies to share our thoughts and gain new and fresh insights. Honestly, I have never come out of my Friday afternoon lady’s group regretting the time spent.
At this point in my life, you’ll be more likely to hear me say, “In the name of Jesus, will someone please tell me what to do?” And then I hear this loving whisper in my soul, “I already have!”
He must become greater; I must become less.