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A Different Way of Looking at Things
The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
~Matthew 23: 11-12
But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.
~Matthew 20: 30
If you have read much of the Bible, you probably are aware of God’s upside-down economy. What we think of being first, God says the winner is the one last. What we think of being meek, God says they will inherit the earth. God lifts up the humble and tears down the proud.
On our better days, most of us are willing, if not eager to be gracious, “No, please, you go first. How can I help you?” The rest of the time, it is too easy to get wrapped up in our needs and wants, our rights and our space! And we may even think that those who come first, who break the records and win the prizes, are on the top of the pile.
This may be true in our worldly views, but worldly riches fade when we consider them next to God’s promises and His kingdom. In God’s world view, the helper, the humble, even the hurting are the ones who get moved to the front of the line. They are the ones whom God shows favor. That is because loving and showing love to others comes with humility and help and serving! And love is God’s highest call to each of us.
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