Mine!

MINE!
Philippians 2:3
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”

“No!” Nina screeched, grabbing the game.

“Mom!” Nina’s brother, Timmy, yelled out. “Nina won’t share the game.” He ran to the covered patio to explain. “I wanted to teach her how to play, but she refuses to let me set it up.”

“Alright, come with me” their Mom said.

The rain continued pounding the roof, as Mom sat down. “Nina, give me the game. Tim wants to show you how to play it with him.”

Nina’s scowl darkened as she hugged the game to her chest. “No.”

“Give it to me at once, Nina!” Mom insisted.

Nina tentatively surrendered the game.

Mom handed the game to Tim, explaining, “Nina, this is how you share. Everything does not belong to you, dear. When you release something to someone else, their love returns to you. Your happiness is doubled.”

Nina watched Tim set up the floor game, fascinated.

“And” Mom waited until Nina looked at her, “when you’re sad, Tim can help you. This divides your trouble. Sharing has a win-win ending; everyone’s happy.”

“You go first, Nina” Tim handed her the dice. “Throw it down and see how many spaces you can move your player.”

Their Mom had to step in and end many quarrels between her children, just as all God’s kids fight among themselves. Most often people are selfish, and look out only for their own interests. This is an age-old problem. When someone wants to advance his or her person ahead of others, attitudes quickly become disruptive and divisive. This leads to disorder, and things quickly become ugly. Then people argue instead of playing (or working) nicely together.

The apostle Paul warned his church in Philippi against this problem. Bickering never solved problems. The good news is that this problem has a fix. He taught us to not only protect our own interests, but to look out for the interests of others in Philippians 2:3-4. Jesus urges His brothers and sisters to treat others the way we’d like to be treated (Matthew 7:12).

Timmy joined his Mom in their patio. “Will it ever quit raining?” he asked, bouncing a ball.

Will you guys ever play nicely with each other? his Mom replied.

Laughing, Tim said, “Yeah. Nina won the stupid game.”

Take Home Nugget

What will your life’s book reveal about how you treat others? Will there be chapters of selfishness? Will there be chapters of selflessness? Will it show how you looked out for others?

Selflessness prevents broken friendships, as well as not being consumed with self.

J.D. Griffith

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