If I had my way ...

If I had my way, we would have more snow, but never any ice. If I had my way, siblings wouldn’t fight no matter how old they are. If I had my way, families would spend more time together. If I had my way, kids would graduate college and want to come back and live around home. If I had my way, everyone would believe in Jesus. Since I am a pastor, if I had my way, everyone would go to church every Sunday and every church would have a morning and evening service attended by all members.
What if you had your way? How would life for everyone be different? What would you require from everyone if you could decide? Maybe you agree with some of the things I listed at the beginning of the article. Maybe you think if I had my way, you would be miserable. And maybe if you had your way, I would be miserable.
That is the thing about my way or your way, it’s not the best way for everyone. We are human and we don’t see the big picture. If we are honest, we tend to be selfish.
God encourages us to think and live differently. Philippians 2:3-5 says,  “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” (NIV 1984)
This means that my way isn’t important and neither is your way, the governor’s way, or the president’s way.
What is important is that we respect and care for each other. What is important is that we treat each other as more important than ourselves.
This is and always has been a radical idea, but Jesus embodies it for us. He shows us how living this way is possible and how it is better than living to get my way.