First vs Last

 

Lightning McQueen was a very fast, red race car.  He wanted to win the Piston Cup, and he got really focused on winning.  But what happened at that first race?  There was a 3-way tie...Lightning McQueen, Chick Hicks, and "The King" all ended up in a tie!

So, they all headed out to California for a tie-breaking race to see who would really win!  Lightning McQueen got so focused on winning that he didn't do a good job of being nice to folks around him.  He wasn't very nice to his race crew; he wasn't very respectful to his Rusteez sponsor; he made Mack work late into the night so much that he fell out of the truck; he tore up the streets of Radiator Springs...and the list goes on...He wanted to win!

What happened...He ends up having to fix the roads, but does a smash-up job and the road was worse than when he started.  So, Doc challenges him to a race, McQueen lets his pride get the best of him, and he goes flying into a cactus patch.  Around that point, Mater helps him out and McQueen realizes that he needs to do things right.  He ends up fixing the road and heads out of town.

Race day for the Piston Cup comes and McQueen is ready.  They all line up and tear out.  It's a close race, but what happens...

Chick Hicks plays a dirty trick on The King and bangs him up pretty good.  You gotta hand it to McQueen at that point.  He could have won the race, but he didn't... He turned around.  He went back and pushed The King across the finish line allowing The King to finish his last race and retire with dignity. 

McQueen learned a valuable lesson...He learned how to put others first and himself second.

That's what Jesus tells us to do too.

Mark 9:35
Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."
With Valentine's Day around the corner, you'll see a lot of signs and cards that say "I love you".  But, one of the greatest ways to show someone that you love them is to be kind to them and put their needs before yours.  That means sharing, caring, and helping them, even if they don't ask you to help.  The King didn't ask McQueen to turn around and help him, but McQueen saw the need and helped him anyway.

1 Corinthians 13:4
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
Lord, thank You for blessing us with these wonderful children.  May we all show love to our community by putting the needs of others first, helping others, and sharing Your love.  Show us where those opportunities are and how we can make a difference to someone this week.  In Jesus Name, Amen.