"Get Over Yourself!"

There are few things smaller than a person wrapped up in himself. I watched a grown man make a fool of himself recently over a cup of coffee. He badgered the kids at the Dunkin' counter three times because they didn't get it just right. ("You didn't add enough cream." New cup poured. "This tastes like it isn't fresh." Another new cup poured. "Did you put any sugar in it?" Sir, perhaps you could stir it or add some at the counter. He left making loud noises about the establishment and the 'idiots' that were employed there.) I felt shame for him, and regretfully remembered too many similar episodes from my own past. (Oh, Lord forgive me.) Yes, I sometimes get irritated when a server does not care enough to do a good job, too. But, I have learned that the stress that insisting that they 'get it right' usually outweighs going and adding some sugar myself.

Just yesterday, I contacted Dell support for an issue with my laptop. The tech determined that my computer wasn't properly registered to my company (huh?) and that before he could assist me, I would have to re-register it with Dell. There was a time when that kind of thing would have created enough anger in me to ruin the rest of the day. Yesterday, I simply told him (really, from my heart!) that I understood the limitations he was dealing with and thanked him for his help.... and promptly moved on, without giving it another thought. I know the rest of my day went better and I hope the rest of his did, too.

In our busy often depersonalized society it is a natural reaction to want to be treated with respect, to have those who are being paid to pour our coffee or fix our computer care about what they do. Rudeness and apathy abound, to be sure. But, the paradox is this: the more protective of our 'rights' that you and I become, the more angry and alienated we are likely to be. If we give up our demand to be served, begin to treat others as we want to be treated (didn't Jesus say something about that?) we release joy into our environment, a joy from which we benefit. And, when we are less stressed, we are better able to cope with the issues of life and sense the flow of God's Spirit in and around us.

Sooner or later, there will some situation that comes into your life that no amount of fussing, fuming, cussin', screaming, kicking, or even praying will change. If you're obsessed with having your way, you will only deepen your misery. So, why not just get over yourself, now? Why not dethrone Self and learn to live a life of love?

As you ponder this today, consider the words of Jesus. Pray for grace to put them into practice, from the smallest incidents to the really BIG issues. And, you will experience grace, peace, and joy; God's gifts to His children.

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came over and spoke to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do us a favor." "What is your request?" he asked.

They replied, "When you sit on your glorious throne, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left."

But Jesus said to them, "You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?"
"Oh yes," they replied, "we are able!"
Then Jesus told them, "You will indeed drink from my bitter cup and be baptized with my baptism of suffering. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. God has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen."

When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. So Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:35-45, NLT)

Jesus, Others, You - what a wonderful way to spell - JOY!