So I have this real serious problem.  I’m obsessed with people butting in line.  As for pedestrian butting, it irritates me considerably when three or four people are waiting and the one who arrived last steps up out-of-order.  Sometimes I just can’t resist the temptation to say something rude like, “Didn’t your momma teach you any manners?  Those other people were here first.”  You know, it’s just not right, it’s just not fair, it’s just not polite. I just can’t believe the gall of some people.  What happened to courtesy?

Sometimes I almost wish that America would adopt the custom they have in Mexico for waiting in line. In a bus station late one night at least 200 people waiting to buy tickets, and ONE ticket window open, and everyone in a great big semicircle jostling and side-stepping, ducking and jiving, working their way to the front.  A friend of mine, went from the very back to the window, and was back to us, in 7-8 minutes round-trip.  Amazing.  I respect America and Americans, where even women and children, the aged and the infirm, keep their place in line. The little guys get a little respect.  If we don’t stick up for each other, who is going to?

Saturdays I go to my daughter’s for breakfast, and I cross a two-lane bridge.  When the road pinches down from four lanes to two, people start buttin’ in.  Everyone knows that they’re supposed to get in the left lane and wait their turn; but a lot of people rush up in the right lane, to squeeze in and beat the guy beside him across the bridge.  Crazy as it sounds, sometimes they force their way in, putting themselves and others at risk.  It’s unsafe; often they just don’t care.

So why am I even talking about this?  What is the big deal about a little butting in line?  Oh nothing I guess.  Except that Jesus doesn’t like it.  What does it mean to you, when it says in Luke 9:23, “If anyone wants to be My follower, let him deny himself . . .”?   Do y’all know what “deny your self” means?  It means give up your self.  Quit being self ish.  Quit demanding your own way.  Quit thinking it’s OK to stick up for your self.  In 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, it talks about this very subject.  It says “Love” doesn’t demand its own way; it’s not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.  That’s what gets me about people who butt in line.  They’re rude; just down-right rude.  They’re all about ME ME ME.

“Love” is the way you act if you want to BE LIKE JESUS. Jesus said, in Matt 5:3-12, a lot about not sticking up for yourself; about being humble, and kind, and peace-loving, and even sad when you realize you’re not being like Jesus.  In Philippians 2:5-8 it talks about, “Let this mind, (this attitude) be in you, that was also in Christ Jesus; who came to earth from heaven and became a man;  then humbled himself and became a servant (a slave); that then allowed Himself to become a prisoner (a slave), and was obedient unto death , even death on a cross.”  Whoa!

And here I am, back at square one, still trying to keep other people from butting in front of me.  I don’t know.  Either I can’t read or hear; or I’m disobedient.  Clearly, I’m not humble or obedient.