A Magnolia's Heart Beats

The catchphrase “It’s not about me” has become quite popular in our current world today. What does that phrase mean to you in your personal life? Explain.

I first read that phrase in Rick Warren's "The Purpose Driven Life." It has caught on and I'm glad. The phrase it's not about me takes focus off me and drives me to focus on others. It's forced me to focus more on Christ, of course, but I have taken it also to personally to adapt to life circumstances.

When I'm mistreated, I try to consider what the other person is going through. For example, at McAlister's one day the waitress was in a horrible mood, I thought, and was taking it out on me. My gut instinct was to take it personally and I briefly considered calling the manager and telling him how rudely I had been treated when I got back home. Instead, I asked, "Are you not feeling well today?" You would have thought I'd lifted a 10 lb. brick off her chest. She emotionally unloaded on me. They had been busy for several hours straight, she hadn't had a break, some customers had been rude to her and she was extremely tired. After she spilled her guts and got some words of empathy and encouragement from me, she perked up and life was good again. When someone cuts me off in traffic, I don't take it personally. I am sure they weren't sitting there thinking, "Okay, here comes Laurie Ann in that Kia again. I am not letting her over no matter what!" No, they probably didn't even see me or they're just in a bigger hurry than I am to get somewhere. That's fine. Gives me more time to get where I'm going safely.

Other times, when I'm recognized at work or lauded by kind words and rewards, I thank people but make sure they know it's Christ working in me. Without Him, there would be no "me" to do the things I do. I also make sure others who have helped me are recognized first and foremost.

Life is not about me. Not about me at all.

God deserves all recognition and honor and praise. He deserves to be the one being praised and talked about. I'm just me. And it's so not about me at all.

I love this piece of Scripture, describing Christ...

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! ` Philippians 2:6-8

Christ knew what it was to make Himself nothing and be a servant to others. That's how I want to be. Just live to reflect God's glory. Nothing for myself. It's Him we're going to be glorifying when we get to Heaven anyway. We may as well get our practice in here on earth.

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