It’s Not About Me

Why can’t we all just get along?!

From intense anger in our society to bickering children in our home, the discord in the world is relentless. If we are to have any hope for peace and love, any wisdom on truly resolving conflict, it must come from God. Left to ourselves, peace unravels faster than a raised eyebrow. And when it’s the people in your family fighting, the hurt and frustration strike deep.

So how do we get the ones we love the most to love each other? The apostle Paul wrestled with this in his letter to the Philippians. Paul reminds them of all the love, tenderness, and comfort they have received from Jesus and pleads with them to show that to others. He tells the people to be unified in love and then gives a key to how to do it in this week’s Scripture verse:

Don't be jealous or proud, but be humble and consider others more important than yourselves.
Philippians 2:3 (CEV)

Selfishness is at the root of all discord; humility is at the root of love.

Humility isn’t low self-esteem. People who lack confidence aren’t focused on others’ needs in a healthy way. Rather, humility is freedom from pride or arrogance. True humility may be rare in Military circles where all accomplishments get recorded, and achievements are put on display. It’s counter-intuitive to not be jealous, proud or focused on your own path.

But when we value others, it makes us compassionate, thankful, forgiving, and loving.

So how can we teach humility? Well, we don’t do it by regularly knocking a child down off his high horse.

Rather, like so many things, humility is more caught than taught. We must model humility—rejoicing in others’ successes, serving them, and caring about them. We can then reward our kids when we see them being a servant instead of vying for their own ambitions. We can rejoice when they gain the maturity to say, “It’s not about me.”

PRAY

Father God, please teach me humility so my children can see it in me. Help us truly love each other in our home and serve others outside our home. We need your wisdom and strength to achieve peace. Amen.

TIME TO TALK

Conversation starter for kids: Provides you with questions and prompts to facilitate a time of applicable discussion with children to lead them towards knowing God and His Word more deeply.

Question(s): How can we put other people’s needs above our own needs?

Apply: The best approach to teaching children humility is by engaging them in acts of service “Get out and serve your community’s less fortunate residents with your kids in tow. Encourage them in their service. Thank them for a job well done.

KEEP IT GOING

Related passages: These additional verses will help parents expand Scriptural knowledge and place on the armor of God’s Word to tackle each day. Swipe to read the passages today.

Romans 12:16

1 Peter 5:5