The few, the proud, the privileged... Am I one of them?

How could Jesus never have thought to himself, “Next time I’m going to push them out of the way?” Especially Him. I mean He was God; the Savior of the world. “I came to serve, not be served," He said. He never sinned? Never?

One day, a few years ago, I came home from taking my kids to school and my rather "annoying" neighbor that lived in the apartment above me, was on her way out. Okay, I don’t mean rather, I mean she had a dog over the weight limit rule and she let it bark at me right in my space. She also thought she owned the parking lot every time she was going anywhere. She always made sure she edged you out. You know the “entitled” type: “The few, the proud, the privileged.” Well, as I was coming up the stairs I heard her coming down. Then we met in the middle, on the platform, where there was only enough room for one person to go through at a time.

Guess who? Yep, she keeps going past me and says, “Thanks." Not in a sincere “thank you” type of way, but in a, “Thanks for recognizing my majesty,” sort of way. And as she walked away I thought, “Next time I am going to go first. I will edge her out of the way; push her down even, because she is just becoming too entitled. She doesn’t deserve to go first every time. She is always the one to go first and I can’t just let her walk all over me…”

Then I thought, “How on earth, especially on Earth, did Jesus, of all people, not push someone down.” And then I thought, “Oh great, and she was carrying a heavy load. Jesus would have gone over and carried her load for her all the way to her LEXUS!” But me? Oh no. All I could do is picture her papers flying out of her hands as she fell to the ground. Just so I could get to my apartment first. Because I deserve to go first, at least sometimes. I mean if she does, I do, right?

But wait, Jesus said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” Who wanted to be first here? Who thought they were entitled?

When I love the lovable, does the world see God? Jesus said, “Even sinners do that.” (Luke 6:33) When I love the crazy entitled neighbor, does the world see God? If I pushed my neighbor down, who would she see? How would I feel? Privileged? Would I represent the Kingdom of God? Is that what heaven is like? Is that why clouds exist because in heaven everyone is pushing each other down?
 

When I harbor bitterness, do I win? What about anger? Or entitlement? Doesn’t it lead to more bitterness, anger, and entitlement and then to guilt, that I am not living up to my job description as a “Christ Follower”?

I found myself wondering, how I will survive in heaven. I had been assuming that I would change once I get there, and maybe. But doesn’t the Bible call me to live this way on Earth? To die to myself. To love God and love people. To live a life where His glory is on display. I had been fooling myself every time I would serve or lead, thinking I was doing it for God and more importantly with God. Was I?

Well, I wasn’t doing it for my own recognition, not always. I truly felt called to help the broken, when it was on my terms. When I could pick when and where and what cause to sign up for. The homeless shelter, giving money to my friend in need, but what did it mean to die to myself daily? To love my enemies and pray for those who persecute me? To walk as Jesus did, not follow like his privileged entourage?

Jesus lived His life that way. He was God, yet He came to serve, not be served. He healed the sick and loved the broken and outcasts wherever He went. (Allow me to repeat...Wherever He went!) When He died on the cross did everyone know who He was and believe He was the most amazing person ever? The Messiah? Did He go out on the cross with two thumbs pointing to the name Christ on His back? Did He fall into temptation? Why not? He knew who He was and whose He was, and most importantly He knew there was nothing better out there. He believed it! He lived it!

I have often gone through life looking for the reward, or “the blessing”, and missing it. He is my blessing. He is my treasure and my reward. I got a brand new life and a relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit: my Creator. And why? Because of Christ’s loving sacrifice.

When I wake up each day I need to remember to thank God that He chose to keep me on His Earth one more day to worship Him with my whole life. I need to remember I am not here for me. I am here for God as a reflection of who He is and I need to act that way. When I interact with other people, I have a choice to be here for me or for God. Will I choose to be faithful and believe there is nothing else out there better than what He has? Will I die knowing that it is only important for Jesus to introduce me to His Father and hear Him say, “Well done good and faithful servant”? Or will I die longing for significance from my friends and family, at work, home, church or at school? I need to remember I was created by Him and for Him.

I need to remember to love my enemies. I must die to myself daily. As I allow God to love me, He fills me up and helps me see others the way He sees them. As I go through my day I can look for ways to serve others rather than myself. Whether I am at school, at home or at church, waiting in a line at the store, commuting to work, or when my neighbor comes down the stairs and assumes her rightful route ahead of me. I can be confident and know that God is at work and I have the privilege to die to myself and to serve.