"For even
the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom
for many."
My four-year-old granddaughter is a beautiful little girl. She has big
blue eyes and curly brownish hair. She loves her baby dolls, and her Barbie dolls, and her
doll houses, and her doll furniture. All gifts for her need to be – and be wrapped in
– something pink. She wears only dresses or jumpers, pink preferred, purple
tolerated. She’s not a motor-mouth, but when she talks, she wants you to listen.
One thing Megan has plenty of, wrapped in pink, is a sense of self.
Megan is absolutely certain she’s at the center of the universe ... and deserves to
be there.
Parents and grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins encourage Meg
along the way to find herself (although she seems to know where she is without much
coaching). "Good job," we say. "Beautiful," we say. "I love
you," we say. But we also try to teach her that the meaning of life is outside
herself: "Share with your brother." "Play nice." "Help
mamma." "Use your indoor voice."
What are we really trying to teach this little girl? Life will be more
pleasant for all of us if you will begin to think less about yourself and your happiness
and more about other people and their happiness. Put your "Self" aside for a
while, and think about other people.
Jesus taught us adults, much as we try to teach our children:
Love your neighbor as yourself. Serve God by serving others. You are an
important part of the world, but the world is not about you. Use your special gifts to
make life special for others.
How difficult these ideas are for a four-year-old who thinks she is
Queen of Everything. How difficult these ideas are for me, Princess of Quite a Lot.
