Loving Others
By Tracy Smith
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain
conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not
looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV)
A few years ago, while on Facebook,
I came across a video about a middle school football team who plotted and
planned to help one of their teammates score a touchdown. [1] This
teammate had special needs. In some schools, he may have been the object of
bullying - - and maybe this boy had been in the past, or is dealing with bullies
in other areas of school - - but not on his football team. These friends cared
enough about him to plan something so amazing for him.
The plan went like this: His
teammates got the ball as close to the goal line as possible. In the next play,
they gave him the ball and surrounded him to protect him from the defense and
ran with him across the goal line. TOUCHDOWN!
As touching as that was, it was the
interviews with the boys on the team that brought tears to my eyes. One boy had
tears tracking down his cheeks because he had not thought of the plan. He
talked about how he had changed from someone who only cared about himself to
someone who cared about everyone. What a life-changing lesson these young men
learned!
The Lord wants us to care about
everyone - - not just those we see as
“popular” or who are worth our caring. He also wants us to care for others - - not just when it’s easy, but even when
it’s hard. Philippians 2:4 tells us to intentionally look to the interests of
others. In John 13:34-35 (NIV), Jesus says, “Love one
another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone
will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Jesus wants us
to be known by how we love.
May we be like the young men in this
school. May we be those who are kind and care about everyone; who love.
GOING
DEEPER:
1.
Is there someone in your life who could use some encouragement? If so,
what can you do to make him or her feel special?
FURTHER
READING:
Along with being
a wife and mother to two teenage sons, Tracy is a ministry assistant at Oakwood
and works with a great group of Junior High girls.
