You Never Know

Philippians 2:3-4, "3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." NIV

Friday, my daughter and I had some errands to run after I picked her up from school. I haven't been feeling well this week. (Which I why I haven't posted every day.) So I was trying to get things done quickly and get back home.

At a red light, on the last part of our trip, I did something I never do. I turned to my right to see the person in the car next to me. It was a teenage or young 20's girl. She was crying. My heart broke for her.

There could be a million reasons why she was crying. I looked away and told my daughter that the girl next to us was crying. She looked too and said it made her sad to see someone cry. I looked again, and the girl was covering her face.

Then, I prayed for her.

You never know what someone is going through.

We hear this all the time. "Be nice to people who are mean to you, you don't know what they are going through." There is truth in that statement!

I could have noticed that girl crying and done nothing. Instead, I said a prayer for her. 

God knows her. God knows what's making her cry. So, I went to Him on her behalf.

Like the Scripture says above, we should be putting others ahead of ourselves. (There is my word again too, humility.) 

Being selfish gets you no where fast. It's a known fact. It might seem like those people have more, do more, and are more than you, but they aren't.

Even in movies, we see this. I watched one this weekend about earthquakes. This really rich man was so selfish during the scary times of the quakes. He even pushed someone to their death to save himself. In the end, he died like most of the other people. His selfishness didn't save him at all.

Honestly, you never know what someone is dealing with. They are trying to just get through whatever it is. If someone is mean or rude to you, give them grace. If you get cut you off driving, give them grace. 

Pray for the people you come in contact with that are mean. I had someone in my life that was mean to me. I started praying daily and that behavior changed. So I know it's possible!

Think before you judge. Pray before you say something off the wall. And by all means, if possible, HUG someone who is having a tough time. Life is hard. We need each other to get through.

God bless you today and always.