Preferring Others

Philippians 2:1-4  The Message  If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.

Philippians 2:3  NKJV  Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 

Ok, so the scripture are the same as yesterday, but the thoughts are new. 

I've had an excellent couple of days with family and have greatly enjoyed their company.  Food was outstanding and had an excellent time with my niece and nephews and my boys.  I got to play a game of football with my nephew on the XBox and almost beat, but I failed to convert a 2-point conversion in overtime and he beat me by one.  Not bad considering I've played nearly zero video games in the last 7-8 years.

On the drive home tonight I've been considering more about being a representative of the Kingdom and preferring others, holding them in higher esteem.  What makes us as citizens of the Kingdom attractive to others?  What have we got that they want or want to be a part of?  If we don't act any different than the world, why bother with getting up on Sunday mornings anyway?

I had an encounter this week with a customer of mine who has grown to become a friend over the years.  He had a really bad experience with another sales channel and reached to me.  I've worked to try to resolve the issue and things seem to be working to resolution.  Nevertheless this friend seemed still fairly upset at the person he had been working with.  I did something I don't normally do and tried to explain to him what perhaps the sales person was going through.  I painted a picture to my friend, who is also in sales, of a rep who might have been on a written warning, needing to hit a number or he might lose his job and this rep might have kids and Christmas is coming up.  I wasn't trying to get a reaction, but my friend seemed to really turn around and even said that he was probably a little rough on the guy.  His tuned changed and seemed ok that if we could get things worked out he would just drop it.

Preferring others can simply be to take a brief pause to consider the other person.  When passing through the checkout lane, compliment the clerk and wish them a good day even if they seem to be really slow - perhaps they are just having a bad day.  Every interaction is an opportunity.  Even and especially at church.  Perhaps that next person you interact with is one bad interaction away from walking away from it all.  You have an opportunity to change that.  If they are in a bad place, smile and thank them for being there. 

My goal tomorrow is to make a difference in at least five lives tomorrow morning in one on one interactions.  I believe that God will create the opportunities and I believe the Holy Spirit for utterance for the words to speak.  Have a good night, all!