Putting You Above Me

God wants us to consider others before ourselves! Sometimes we make changes in our lives, not because we think we need to because of sin, but we believe it is the best thing to do to help someone else out around us. My dad is a high school teacher. He has been for many years. He was actually my teacher when I was growing up, and he was always everyone's favorite teacher. No one ever had anything bad to say about him. All my friends loved him, even to the point where if I went out to the movies or something, my dad was sometimes invited along! My house was also the hang out spot for my friends, that was partially because of my dad’s cooking. My dad did all the cooking growing up. I remember one time my dad told me that he had decided years ago, before I was in high school, that he was not going to buy any alcohol. He used to make beer batter for different foods, but he stopped having any alcohol in the house. His reason for this was simple; it was not that he thought having the occasional drink was sinful or wrong, but he did not want to cause anyone else to stumble. As a high school teacher, who would occasionally have students in his house, or who would have students see him in the store, he did not want them to see him at any time with alcohol. This was a personal conviction that my dad had to help those around him. It was not something he gave up because of sin or anything like that, but simply to be a better example to the teens who were around him. It was not worth it! We are to consider those who are around us, and we are sometimes asked to make sacrifices for those who are around us. We are to act in love toward one another, looking out for one another and being there for one another! God wants us to put others before ourselves!