Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. (Rom. 15:7)
THE WORD ENTERED our language in 2002, although it has gained more popularity with the rise of social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram. The word is selfie, and it is a digital picture of oneself taken for the purpose of posting online. And there are many selfies out there. Experts say that more than half of us—yes, half of all adults—have taken a selfie. Thirty percent of photos taken by young adults are selfies. But don’t be too quick to judge. Fully 29 percent of senior adults have taken one! Together, we post about thirty-five million of them each month. One thing is certain: We like to look at ourselves.
The consistent advice of the apostle Paul is quite different. He urged us to look to the needs of others more so than our own. Accept one another. Be tolerant of each other. Give preferential treatment to others, and don’t think so much about how to get what you want. By doing so, you will honor God, who has given so much to you.
How much of your plan for this day includes serving your own interests? How much involves being aware of and open to the needs of those around you? In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., life’s most persistent question is this: “What are you doing for others?”
Scroll through your Facebook feed and pray for each person you see.
Lawrence W. Wilson is the author of A Different Kind of Crazy (WPH), coauthor of The Long Road Home (WPH), and lives near Indianapolis, Indiana.
