To me, this perfectly illustrates one of the many ways to put others first. Many of us recoil at the thought of sacrificing our own needs and desires in order to benefit someone else. But Paul adopts this attitude of service and respect for the people that he meets.
It isn't any harder for us than it was for him. Paul interacted with people who complained, grumbled, gossiped, lied, stole, and treated him like dirt. And yet he still writes, "I do what is best for them."
I'll be honest... There are times when all I want to do is hide away in my room with a good book and read until my eyes close in sleep. But when the kids are screaming and my mom needs a hand to settle them down, I have to force myself to put my book down and go help her.
There are times when I'm in the car, riding with a friend or family member around town or on a trip to Fort Wayne. We don't listen to my radio station; we listen to theirs. It might all be "Christian" but they just struggle to understand how Hard Rock or even Pop Rock can glorify God. So we listen to Southern Gospel.
I have family members who struggle with high cholesterol and diabetes. So at family gatherings, I (sometimes) try to support them and not induldge myself in all the desserts and treats. It's only for one day, right?
What about you? Where are some areas in your life that you can set your own wants aside in order to serve and respect others?
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