Thursday; December 3
Do we ever struggle with things getting done, just not being done in the way we want them done? The goal is reached, it is just that the path that was taken wasn’t the one we would have followed. Maybe you aren’t as petty as am I, but I have to admit that there are times when I get bent out of shape because people didn’t do things my way. If I were to be even more honest, sometimes I get into a snit because someone else gets the spotlight – even for things that are my primary responsibility. When I get to this point, I need to remember a couple of things – one is corny and the other is Scripture. First of all, I need to keep in mind that there is no “I” in “TEAM”. Yes, I realize that this is kind of cliché, but it is also true. When we are all working toward the same ultimate goal, it really shouldn’t matter who gets the credit or makes the accomplishment. Yet, maybe the most powerful lesson comes from the Apostle Paul who was humble enough to accept that even if things were done to put him down, as long as they glorified God, he was okay with it. When the apostle was in prison for his faith, there were some people who seemed to use his predicament to promote a self-ambition; however, somehow, they were also preaching a true message of Christianity. What was Paul’s response? Was he upset that they were self-seeking? No, his response was, “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice.” (Philippians 1:18).