It’s funny to watch kids.
A two-year-old typically thinks it’s all about him. If there’s a toy in the room, it’s his toy. If you have something he wants, you should give it to him, and right now would be nice.
Put two toddlers in a room with only one toy, and it’ll get ugly really soon. A kid’s world is very small—just big enough for him and the people who are there to get him what he wants.
I’d like to think we grow out of this, but I’m not sure we do. I think we just express it differently. Most of us no longer scream or throw ourselves on the floor, and we’re less likely to snatch something we want from a friend (I hope).
But we still struggle with the same issue. The problem, of course, is selfishness. Deep down, we think all the toys really ought to be ours. We like it when it’s all about us.
My spouse isn’t meeting my needs.
My kids never help me.
People don’t appreciate anything I do—my boss, my peers, my family.
Me. My. Mine.
Welcome to the world of the adult toddler. Most of us probably spend too much time there.
Listen to Paul:
“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4).
You and I could spend the rest of our lives on those two verses, and we’d never conquer them.
Pray about it this week. Ask God to help you get rid of self and put him there.
Ask him to help you focus on serving more than on being served, on giving more than getting.
Ask him to shine his light on all the places in your life where self reigns supreme.
And then ask him to put himself on the throne of your heart.
—Chuck
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