If you love me. . .

A month or so ago, on a Sunday afternoon, my two boys were playing surprisingly well together in one of their rooms. That morning in Sunday School, their memory verse was, "if you love me, you will keep my commandments." John 14:15. Stonewall practiced it in SS, then recited for me after church with his teachers prompting. Anyway, that afternoon they were playing well, until Skywalker decided that he wanted to do something else, and was no longer playing as Stonewall was leading. I could hear them both getting frustrated, Stonewall because Skywalker wasn't doing just what he wanted him to do, and Skywalker because Stonewall kept telling him what to do. As I was trying to let them work it out, I hear Stonewall say, "Skywalker, If you love me, you will keep my commandments!" I started laughing, and then had to go break up the impending fight. Then I had to explain to Stonewall what that verse actually meant, that it was about God, not us.
I was thinking about that afternoon today, as the boys were playing. It's a funny antecdote when a 4 year old misinterprets scripture, but it's just plain sad when we adults do. I think that Stonewall was showing off his "human nature" so to say. He, as most of us, make the mistake to think that it's about us, but it is not! It's about God! In so many situations, this is the real truth. If we would sit back and examine the situation, we would realize. It is not about US! It kinda changes your perspective when you think about it that way, doesn't it? We might be at church get offended because someone doesn't greet us, even though we haven't been in a couple of weeks. We might be offended that a visitor came to church dressed in jeans instead of a suit and tie. But the truth is, that visitor can worship God in jeans just as well as he could in a suit. that person who didn't greet us may have some really tragic situation in their own lives and just need someone to ask THEM how they're doing. My point is, it's not about US, it's about GOD, and how we can Worship Him and Minister to His People, right? So, then next time you're in a church business meeting and the vote doesn't go your way, don't get offended, it's not about YOU. It's about GOD!