Mine! Mine! Mine!
January 14, 2017
‘Tis the season after the true, ‘Tis the season, to be putting the final holiday decorations away and making sure all of the “thank you” notes have been written to those who have given to us. For whatever reason, this time of the year makes me think of the movie, Finding Nemo and the scene where all of the seagulls are shouting, “Mine! Mine! Mine!”
It could be that after visiting with friends and family with children, I heard that seagull chant many times as many a child showed off their gifts while clearly labeling each one as “mine”! It could also be that on a recent flight, the featured film was, Finding Dory. No, I don’t know why that was, but being a bigger Finding Nemo fan than Finding Dory fan, I watched the movie about Nemo and laughed once again at the selfish seagulls securing their seafood while singing, “Mine! Mine! Mine!”
Mine! Mine! Mine! (click)
And then that reminded me of a verse Paul wrote to the Corinthian Christians who were a bit of a puffed up group:
For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?
I Corinthians 4:7 (ESV)
The Corinthian saints had a problem with pride and Paul addressed their proud hearts by asking them a few questions:
Who makes you to differ from one another?
What do you have that you did not receive?
Why do you boast as if you did not receive it?
The difference in the Corinthian Christians, and in us, is solely because of what God has done in us, so there’s no room for pride. Secondly, everything we have comes from God, so again there is no reason for pride. Finally, if everything we have spiritually is a gift from God, how can we possibly boast of our own accomplishments? There is no room for self-glory in God’s work. There is no MINE! MINE! MINE! It is all HIS! HIS! HIS!
‘Tis the season to be humbly grateful!