AT LEAST I’M NOT LIKE HIM – DEVOTIONAL
Howdy Friends! “You just don’t get it, Grandpop!” The boy shouted. “He’s just so weird about stuff.”
Grandpop motioned for the boy to lay down the manure fork and take a break. “Weird huh? Haven’t heard that one in a while.” He made a big deal about scratching his chin. “Weird huh?” He gave a chuckle. “Is that his problem or yours?” Grandpop shot a silly grin.
The boy strutted up and down the barn isle, making a big show of his frustration. “I don’t know! He acts so …” He tossed his arms up. “He thinks he’s all great and everything putting on a fancy show.” The boy turned to face Grandpop, “At least I’m not like him!”
“Holy cow!” Grandpop couldn’t stifle his chuckle. “Were’d that come from?”
“I wouldn’t want to be him for anything!”
“That’s a good thing, ‘cause then we wouldn’t have you.” Grandpop said.
“It’s like he has all these kids telling him how great he is. Like he’s really something. And all he is is a show off.”
“Show off?” Grandpop grinned. “Is he good at it?” Grandpop remembered the times he felt pretty good at showing off, but figured he’d keep that to himself. For now.
“Good at it? What’s it worth? Just getting a lot of attention. He isn’t anything but show!” The boy grabbed the fork, “I’m just glad I’m not like him!”
“What good does that do ya?” Grandpop couldn’t resist. “How’s that help you or anybody else? Does it build you up to point out he’s ‘weird’ and you aren’t as bad as him?”
“What?”
“Pointing out you’re glad you’re not like somebody else doesn’t do anymore than showin’ off yourself.” Grandpop said in a rare moment of serious tone. “Ya see son, to hold yourself up as better, or pointing out how wrong or worthless somebody is, well that’s the wrong approach. It might make you feel good, even make ya feel like top dog. But, my boy, that’s the worst thing a fella can do.”
“Really” The boy sat next to Grandpop. “Why?”
“Son, we used ta call it, ‘lookin’ down your nose’ at someone. It’s like bein’ all puffed up. ‘Look at them over there, why we’re so much better.’ That’s the wrong path to take.” Grandpop pushed his hat back. “And what’s worse, if ya ain’t careful, soon a fella finds himself makin’ fun of others who ain’t like him. Sure sometimes others ain’t got it right, but puffin’ yourself up and makin’ fun of them is just as wrong.”
“It is?”
“Look at it this way.” Grandpop said. “Suppose ya each had a barn ta build. Ya both get started at it, then you go over and make fun of all the things the other fella is doing wrong buildin’ his barn. You even tear some of his barn down that ain’t up to your standards.” Grandpop gave the boy a serious look, “How’s that buildin’ your barn? Tearin’ his barn apart don’t nail one board on your barn, does it.”
“What’s the right way?”
Grandpop thought a bit just how to put it. “Well son, I reckon the best thing is to focus on what you can do to make yourself a better man. Work on yourself, concentrate on bein’ better. Build your own barn. Make it a palace. We all got plenty of fixin’ we can focus on. Don’t worry about what somebody else is doin’ wrong. That’s their deal. Unless ya can truly help ‘em … Puttin’ others down, or makin’ fun of ‘em don’t make ourselves better, or help anybody. Not one little bit.” After a pause he said, “In fact it makes us less of a man. Don’t do that. Work on buildin’ and learnin’. That’s the ticket.” Then he added, “And never tell yourself you’re better than somebody else. It ain’t profitable, and in the end it don’t matter.”
~ Gitty Up, Dutch.
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Bible Verse – 1 Corinthians 10:12 – “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!”
Bible Verse – Proverbs 21:24 “The proud and arrogant person—‘Mocker’ is his name—behaves
with insolent fury.”
Bible Verse – Proverbs 26:18-19 – “Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death is one who deceives their neighbor and says, ‘I was only joking!’”
Bible Verse – Luke 18:14 – “for everyone who exalts himself will be “humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Bible Verse – Psalm 1:1 – “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers.”
Bible Verse – Ephesians 4:32 – “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Bible Verse – Proverbs 12:18 – “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
Bible Verse – Psalms 101:5 – “Whoever slanders their neighbor in secret, I will put to silence; whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, I will not tolerate.”
Bible Verse – Romans 15:1 – “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.”
Bible Verse – Proverbs 27:2 – “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.”
Bible Verse – 1 Corinthians 4:7 – “For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?”
Bible Verse – Ephesians 4:29 -“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
Bible Verse – Proverbs 29:23 – “Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor.”
Bible Verse – Proverbs 30:12 – “There are those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth.”
