Littering
Lying
Selfishness
Bullying
What are some of your pet peeves? These are at the top of my list. They are actions that I just don't quite get. When you think about them individually they all are sort of the same.
~Littering is being selfish in that you expect someone else to pick up after you.
~Lying is selfish because you don't trust the other person with the truth.
~Bullying is selfish since it is really bolstering yourself at someone else's expense.
So I guess it boils down to one major dislike....selfishness. When we (or I) put myself in front of others. I guess that is why the JOY Jesus~Others~then Yourself has such an impact on me. I am as guilty as anyone of putting myself and my wants and needs above others. Life gets busy and I don't focus on Jesus like I should.
But aren't pet peeves really just bad habits or bad routines that we need to strive to change. Instead of focusing on others who are littering, lying, bullying or being selfish, I need to look straight in the mirror and be honest about how I fall short in the selfishness behaviors. Michael Jackson got it right when he wrote to start with the man in the mirror. If we do want the world to be a better change we must start with our own behaviors.
Young Life taught me to try to live with my back to the stage. What that meant was to take the least favorable seat at the table. The one with my back to the stage so I am the one straining to turn around to see the show. It translates to taking the smallest piece of pie or letting someone go ahead of you in line. Really it is a lifestyle of putting others first. Just the opposite of the pet peeves listed above.
Of course, gossiping, jealousy and several other undesirable actions can be boiled down to us, you and I, living our lives putting ourselves first. Guess I am writing this because I don't want to cast stones on others who hurt me with their actions but work harder at putting JOY into my own actions.
In Him,
Joyful
4-22-15
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