We all want to be respected by others. One way we can make sure that we keep their respect is to make sure we’re just as interested, if not more, in them as we are in ourselves. When people share their struggles and successes with us, we can all fall into the trap of saying ‘That’s nothing; let me tell you about my…’ Haman was extremely self-absorbed. He ‘boasted to [his friends and wife] about his vast wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honoured…and…elevated him above the other nobles and officials’ (Esther 5:11 NIVUK). There’s no mention of him being interested in anyone but himself. In fact, he was so resentful when Mordecai refused to bow to him that he plotted to have him killed. Jealousy, bitterness, resentment and pride can all build when we start comparing the lives of others with our own. When we’re talking about ourselves a lot of the time, we are usually trying to prove our worth to others or to make others appreciate how much we’ve had to go through or how much we’re hurting. But the truth is we don’t need to prove our worth to anyone and we don’t need to compete. God accepts us as we are, and He knows everything we’ve been through and everything we’ve achieved. God asks us to ‘Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn’ (Romans 12:15 NIV). So, when someone’s talking to us, let’s attempt to give them our full attention and to respond to what they’re saying with the response that God calls us to give.
What Now?
Ask a Christian you know to tell you how they became a Christian. Write their story as if you’re writing an article about them for a magazine. Get them to read it and see how accurate you were.