Read James 4:1-4 I’m a huge fan of Christmas. I love almost everything about the holiday season EXCEPT the crowds at Wal Mart or the mall. I hate to stand in line, and I hate to push through crowds just to find some random item that is $2 cheaper than what it normally is. It never ceases to amaze me how selfish people can be around the holidays. Fights over this year’s hot toy because their kid just has to have it, verbal sparring matches laced with several four letter words because another lady grabbed the last designer purse on sale, or grown men in fist fights over flat screen TVs. James tells us that the thing that causes fights and quarrels among us is our selfish desires. Because we can’t get what we want, we fight with others. But, the Bible tells us that we don’t have what we want because we don’t ask God. This doesn’t mean that God is some genie ready to grant us anything we desire. It means we don’t turn toward God with what we ultimately need. During the holidays, everyone is so determined to get what they want that they don’t care who they have to trample over to get it. Unfortunately, this doesn’t end at holiday shopping. This is the story of our lives. Most of us truly believe that we are the most important people in the world. We think that the most important thing in the world to do is to get what we want when we want it…no matter who we have to hurt, trample, or push out of our way to get it. This isn’t the way of Jesus. Jesus, who really was the most important person in the world, allowed himself to be born in meager circumstances, allowed people to walk all over him, take advantage of him, humiliate him, and humble him. He put our needs ahead of himself, because that’s truly the right thing to do. This holiday season, take a page out of Jesus’ playbook and choose to put others ahead of yourself. Reflect What are some of your selfish tendencies in your life? In what areas do you focus only on yourself? Pray Spend some time today talking to God about how He humbled Himself for you. Thank Him for all He has done and ask Him to help you have the same attitude. // TWO-A-DAYS // GO A LITTLE FARTHER WITH YOUR DAILY DEVOTIONS // Go through these questions with your spouse, kids, or friend, or you can even journal about the answers to these questions:
- What was the best part of your day?
- What was the toughest part of your day?
- Where did you mess up today?
- Where did you see God today?
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