The hardest thing you’ll ever do is to put others first and yourself second, because we intuitively look out for ourselves. Self-preservation is our first instinct – but it isn’t the best way to live. Do you know how two goats respond when they meet on a narrow path above a river? They can’t turn back, and they can’t pass each other because they lack even an inch of spare room. The goats instinctively know that if they butt each other, they’ll both fall into the river and drown. So how do they handle it? One goat lies down so the other can pass over it; both animals survive and arrive at their destination safe and sound. The goat sees itself as a bridge to be crossed over. And in doing that, it saves not only its own life, but another life as well. The Bible says Jesus ‘made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant’ (Philippians 2:7 KJV). It’s a massive challenge for us to live up to – as we become more like Jesus, we must learn to focus on other people’s needs instead of our own ‘rights’. It’s difficult, but when we keep our heart aligned with His and let ourselves be transformed from the inside, we’ll naturally learn to put others first.
What now?
Ask your pastor or older Christians how they keep themselves aligned with Jesus and try to become more like Him. Is there anything they do that you could incorporate into your life?