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Sophia takes ballet lessons weekly. She loves going & each Tuesday I am treated to a reprise of her class. This past week, she received an extra “lesson”….

At the end of each lesson, the girls (yes, all girls) line up to exit the studio so their teacher can give them a special stamp as they leave. Sophia happened to be first. The little girl behind her decided she, herself, was to be first. Enter…..

Sucker punch to Sophia’s belly.

Sophia can show you how the fist was made & the motion by which the girl landed with accuracy.

The experience raised all kinds of emotion in both Sophia & in me. Sophia expressed, “She must not like me to do that.” Me? Well, I had to work past wanting to pull the little girl’s braids in Sophia’s defense {kidding}. Well…not really. Please don’t judge me – how we so want to protect our little ones from the harshness of the world.

I have been thinking about this for nearly a week now. Seriously. What is it about us girls that we so want to be “first”? We want to be first….

  • to lose a tooth
  • to be line leader
  • to present show & tell
  • to get braces
  • to wear make-up
  • to have a boyfriend
  • to drive
  • to get a job
  • to get engaged
  • to get married
  • to have a baby

You get the point. There are so many “firsts” that drive us. This drive is not unique to just us. I am reminded of a request made of Jesus in Matthew 20 –

A mother comes to Jesus. She has two sons – James & John. Jesus asks her, “What is your request?” Her reply?

“In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right & the other on your left.”

Jesus tells her that she has no idea what she is asking.

As I have read the account, in several translations (all of which paint the same picture), this thought hit me….

       It was their mother making the request – not the sons.

May we as mothers be mindful to teach our children that it is wonderful to strive for goals but never at the expense of another. The manner in which our children reach for greatness, to be first, begins at home. I cannot help but wonder if somehow as moms, we have skewed this quest so that we think it is a reflection of our own “success” as moms.

Jesus’ response to this mom is most interesting to me as He tells her that this is not the way to “greatness”. He says:

Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Matthew 20:26-28 NIV

Jesus points us to the only means of obtaining greatness – have a humble heart & serve. Put others first.

Funny that this narrative with the mother follows on the heels of the parable in which Jesus states:

“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Matthew 20:16 NIV)

Some hard lessons to learn – both as a child & as an adult.