I think I'm starting to realize what it looks like. It has always been a difficult idea for me to wrap my mind around. Sure: don't put yourself first or think too highly of yourself, maybe even let others go first, or whatever; it just seems like it is more than that.
There is a story in the Bible about a woman reaching out and touching Jesus' hem in a crowd. He asks who did it and later in the dialogue she says what amounted to: all I want from you is what you'd feed to the animals. Not your seconds, not your left overs, not what you would give away because you didn't care for it--she was asking for his trash.
It is an eye-opening realization that someone's trash is much better than I truly deserve. In the book of John, Jesus says that we will only truly accomplish anything of note if it is by His power in and through us.
When I combine all of that--the humility, the work through Him, the trash, it comes out something like this: Lord, please help me, it is only by your power my life actually matters. In the long run, it is only by your grace I can live for you at all. Please lead me in all I do, let it be for you, because I want to love you back. I will try not to mess up too badly. I know people are watching and I would like to do okay by them. I know they all, no matter what their attitude or disposition or position, matter to you and you are in them (if they know it or not) and I want to treat you right. I am no better than anyone else--and because I am aware of this I actually should serve more and better. The truth is I don't have the strength to do all of that, or to remember all of that, so I'm going to need you now more than ever. Amen.
