I did a quick Google image search for the following words: harmony, proud, associate, conceited. Here are some of the results:
Harmony
Harmony
Proud
Associate
Conceited
Conceited
Conceited
Why would I be looking up these words? Because our verse from Romans uses these words and as they say... "a picture is worth 1,000 words". Let's read from Romans 12:16.
Here's some quick and dirty theology (study of God or religion):
- Live like a stack of rainbow-colored rocks with those around you. In a rainbow, all the colors are not the same. That would be boring. Likewise, the way we act towards other people should be like the blended colors of a rainbow. Don't try to stick-out. Don't try to overpower someone else's voice.
- Don't think too much of yourself. Instead of pointing at yourself, try pointing at others (unless you are getting in trouble for something you did). Be a cheerleader for other people - make sure they get the credit when it is due to them.
- Who you associate with are the people with whom you hang-out. Some people make friends as smoothly as butter on a bald monkey*. Other people make friends like Frankenstein doing dental surgery... not very easily and sometimes painfully. If you know of someone who doesn't seem to have many friends, make it a point to talk to them at least once a day for a week. By the end of the week, you might have a new friend.
- A person who is conceited is like the cat, goat and man in these pictures: head up, nose in the air, an attitude that says: "I'm better than you." I don't think many of us would act like this on purpose but think about this: middle-school is the time when many people start developing some serious skills. Their skills might be in sports, art, math, drama, cooking... the list could go on and on. If you find that you are starting to get good at something, don't let if go to your head. Be humble. Never make someone else feel bad because they are not as good as you. If someone is going to get glory, make sure it is God because, after all, he is the one who gave you your skills.
* Reference to "The Dance of the Cucumber" by VeggieTales.
Joke of the week
A cowboy lost his favorite Bible while he was mending fences out on the range.
Three weeks later, a goat walked up to him carrying the Bible in its mouth.The cowboy couldn't believe his eyes.
He took the precious book out of the goat's mouth, raised his eyes heavenward and exclaimed, "It's a miracle!"
"Not really," said the goat. "Your name is written inside the cover."