Who's In Control Here?

This is a true story.

Two babies lie on a quilt. One baby has a bottle. The other does not. The baby with the bottle throws the bottle down. The baby without a bottle inches her way over to the bottle, grabs it and thrusts it into her mouth. The baby who threw the bottle down begins inching her way toward the baby who now has the bottle. She promptly grabs the bottle back and begins to suck on it.

Can we see our selfish nature even in little babies? Absolutely!

It doesn't change much from babyhood, perhaps even gets worse.

Some adults have only their self-interest at heart. Me. Me. Me. Everything is done on the basis of how it will benefit them.

Some adults waver between the "what's in it for me" mentality and trying to see their actions benefit others, at least sometimes.

The believer in Christ, if they follow his teachings, will always have the other persons needs in mind when we make decisions. How can we possibly live that kind of life? Won't we always revert back to looking out for ourselves more than the other person? Has God asked of us something that is impossible for us to do?

The answer is yes to all those questions IF we try to do it ourselves. This sinful flesh we live in will always opt for self above others. We do not have the power to live such exalted lives if we try on our own.

It is only when we allow our lives to be controlled by the Holy Spirit that we are able make decisions based on what is best for the other person. That's how God acts. If we allow him control of our lives, that's how we'll act!

Let's go over our week. Have our decisions been made based on our needs alone? Have some of them been made based on the needs of others? Have all of them been made based on others over self? The answer to the first question will let us know we are living a selfish life. The answer to the second will let us know if we are, at least, progressing toward allowing God to control our lives. The answer to the last will let us know if the Holy Spirit controlled our life at all times.

I doubt many of us made all our decisions based on looking out for the interest of others over our own. However, HOPEFULLY, we made more of those type decisions than we might have a year ago. That would mean we are allowing God to control our lives more now than before.

Hoping I'm progressing in allowing God to control my life, Gloria