Looking Out for #1

Read Genesis 4:9

The common question when my children get in the car after a long day at school is, "Did you get your clip moved?" Let me explain...a clip is the identifier of good behavior. If your clip is on green, all is well. If it is on yellow, things are quickly moving in a bad direction. If it is on red, well, you can figure that out. Generally my kids always have green clips. But one time, my youngest got in the car and told us that he had his clip pulled. We were shocked. After telling us the story and the teacher confirming it, it turned out that during class one of the kids had tried to get him to give them an answer to a test. His response (loudly I might add) was, "Leave me alone." What do you do? He didn't do anything "wrong." So my words of instruction to him, "Just ignore them. You are only responsible for yourself."

Ooohhh...see how quickly that mentality slips in. From a very early age we tell our children that they are only responsible for themselves. Be independent. Look out for your own interests. Most of it is innocent, an attempt to keep our children out of trouble. But it becomes so deeply rooted in their lives, that they begin to always think about themselves first.

Few of us have really come to understand the depth of community for which we have been created. We have been replicating the statement of Cain ever since he made it..."Am I my Brother's Keeper." We have grown up looking out for #1, taking care of personal interests, establishing private agendas, and making the decisions that best affect "me."

Prisons fill up with men and women, locked away from society to keep them from getting into our way. Poor people are shuffled off to the slums so they don't mess up the beauty of our suburban neighborhoods and gated communities. The elderly and disabled are left to figure out the government support system..."I mean really, its their responsibility." Instead of celebrating one another's successes, we are riddled with envy and jealousy because it takes us out of the spotlight.

Few of us have really come to understand the depth of community for which we have been created. Few of us have really taken the risky step of deeply entering into someone's life and sharing the space of joy and sorrow, of hope and brokenness. Few of us have really been willing to do as Paul says and, "Consider others better than yourselves" or "Don't always think about your own priorities but the priorities of others." Instead...we have neglected the stewardship of our relationships and echo with Cain, "Am I my brother's keeper?"

God...you might have placed relationships, "Into the wrong hands."