Me! Me! Me! Me! Me!

If you walked into a room full of children carrying a plate of warm chocolate chip cookies, and asked, “Who would like a cookie?” you would hear a chorus of voices shouting, “Me! Me! Me! Me! Me!” That’s an A-OK time to shout, “Me! Me! Me! Me! Me!”

But, of course, there are other times when “Me! Me! Me! Me! Me!” is not appropriate for children—or adults. Sometimes when I am out shopping, I get weary of merchandise from tea towels to T-shirts with slogans that shout, in effect, “It’s all about Me! Me! Me! Me! Me!”

It is a challenge for parents to help a child move from the natural baby state of shouting his or her own needs to the spiritually mature attitude of serving other people. Parents long for the day when their children obey this teaching from Philippians:

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit,
but with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves;
do not merely look out for your own personal interests,
but also for the interests of others.
Philippians 2:3-4

That parenting challenge is similar to the challenge Jesus had when training 12 men to be His apostles.

Many years ago, I drew this picture of the 12 apostles, attempting to show something of their personalities. At left are the four fishermen, Peter, Andrew, James, and John. Peter is, of course, talking. Philip, who brought people to Jesus, stands slightly behind John. I tried to make him look friendly. Thomas, who tended to doubt sometimes (thus his wondering expression), stands tall in the back. Matthew, the tax collector, wears a blue cloak. Bartholomew stands slightly behind Matthew. James, often called “the Less”, stands in the back, wearing yellow. Simon the Zealot, in turquoise, stands with his arms crossed in defiance. Thaddaeus is beside him in a red cloak. Judas Iscariot looks off to the side, holding the money bag close to his face.

They traveled with Jesus. They saw Him teach. They saw Him heal. They saw Him feed thousands of people.

However, even after all that the apostles had seen and heard, Jesus had to rebuke them for discussing with one another which one of them was the greatest. Later James and John asked Him to give them seats on His right and left hand in His glory. How discouraged Jesus must have felt then. The other ten apostles were indignant. This is how Jesus responded:

Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them,
“You know that those who are recognized
as rulers of the Gentiles domineer over them;
and their people in high position exercise authority over them.
But it is not this way among you;
rather, whoever wants to become prominent among you
shall be your servant;
and whoever wants to be first among you shall be slave of all.
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served,
but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
Mark 10:42-45

The next time you feel exhausted after seeing your children be selfish (again!), remember that getting that concept across wasn’t easy for Jesus either, even though He was the perfect Teacher and He was dealing with adults.

In teaching the essentials to children, we can find comfort from words Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus. Paul encouraged them to walk worthy of their calling:

. . . with all humility and gentleness,
with patience,
bearing with one another in love . . .
Ephesians 4:1-3

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