An 'All About Me' World

We live in an “all about me” world.  No matter how much we want to deny it, most of us are caught up in this attitude as well.  There are very few people that are truly devoted to others and do not focus on their own needs.  I’m not saying that we need to sell all of our belongings and give to the poor, but we do need to take a look at our life and address areas that may need adjusting. 

As a Kindergarten teacher for 12 years, I tried hard to make my classroom a safe environment for my students.  Many of the children came from homes that were unstable and they never knew what to expect.  I wanted every student to feel comfortable in our room and to feel that they could open up to me at any time.  There were rules in our room- that you treat others the way you want to be treated, that we use kind words, we keep our hands to ourselves, and we weren’t allowed to tattle.  Sounds like pretty simple, easy rules to follow, right? No! I learned quickly that the majority of my students were very concerned about informing me of the shortcomings of others.  Did they follow the golden rule?  For the most part no, but as the year progressed, yes- for they were constantly reminded of the rules, and the atmosphere in the classroom changed.  When the students performed an act of kindness, I would write it on a paper heart and place it on the wall.  How quickly the wall began to fill up when the students realized they were recognized for kind words or actions.  I soon learned that the same students that were so quick to tattle in the early fall of the year were being kind to each other every chance they got by mid-winter. 

The same students that were ‘all about me’ were changing their actions to focus on their friends.  It happened every year in the same manner- a group of students became concerned about others.  What was the big change?—simply making them aware of their selfish actions.  When the students started focusing on others, then the behavior changed—the central point was altered…they were no longer tattling or grabbing blocks or refusing to share.  Did I have a classroom with no behavior problems—no, but there was a drastic change in the atmosphere in the room.

As Christians, we need to think about what we are focusing on.  Are we only concerned about ourselves?  We think it is silly for children to tattle, but gossiping about others is the same principle- and through modern technology …texting and facebook and other social media... how fast gossip travels---worldwide!    Just a little food for thought- what is your focal point?  Are you only concerned about yourself and your needs?  Take some time to pray and ask God to help you to reach out to others.  Make it an ‘all about HIM’ day.