Yesterday I had a stand-off with a 3 year old. It wasn’t
pretty and there was a moment when I thought I was going to cave, but I stood
firm and after what seemed like an eternity, (but maybe just a few minutes)
that 3 year old gave up and did what I asked her to do. Afterwards, was she mad
at me for making her do something she didn’t want to do? No. She wanted to
spend time with me. Today that 3 year old came running into my classroom and
gave me a hug. All memories of yesterday, gone. It also appears that she
understands that I mean what I say. Oh to have a heart like a child.
What I asked of her was not hard. I didn’t ask this thing of
her because I was being mean and unreasonable. I asked this of her to make life
easier on all of us.
It is hard to be disciplined. As we become adults, we get a
lot of free reign. How dare anyone tell us what to do? As a Christian it is
important to not think too highly of ourselves and feel offended when we are
corrected. That is where humility comes into play. Afterwards, there is a
beauty in humility, in the surrender, in the obedience.
Philippians 2:1-11 says
1 Therefore if you have
any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love,
if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,
2 then make my joy
complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of
one mind.
3 Do nothing out of
selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above
yourselves,
4 not looking to your
own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships
with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very
nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own
advantage;
7 rather, he made
himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human
likeness.
8 And being
found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted
him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of
Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue
acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
How do you know when you should stand up for yourself and
stand your ground or when you should surrender? 1) Read Scripture. 2) Pray.
3) Ask a trustworthy friend.
