Silly Goose

Bible Reading: Psalm 133

“You chose last time!” yelled Jill.

“I did not!” said Susannah. “You did!”

“I guess I remember better than you.” Jill stomped over to the back porch and sat down. She and Susannah were cousins, but they didn’t always get along very well.

Jill’s brother Theo came out and sat down next to her. “What’s going on?” he asked. “Another argument?”

“Susannah is so bossy,” said Jill. “She never wants to do what I want to do.” She frowned as she glanced at Susannah, who was walking toward the swing set.

Just then a line of wild geese, honking loudly, flew high overhead.

“I wonder what their problem is. They sound terrible!” said Theo. “Maybe one of them wanted to be the boss and butted its way to the front of the line.”

“Don’t they take turns being the leader?” asked Jill.

“They’re supposed to,” said Theo. “But maybe one of them was counting the number of times he had been the leader and decided he wasn’t getting his fair share of turns. So he tried to make them do things his way, and now all the other geese are all honking at him.” He grinned at his sister. “Silly goose.”

They watched as the long line of geese separated into four lines and then merged into two. The honking became a bit quieter, and finally, the two lines formed into one long V. “I wonder which one decided what should be done,” said Theo. “It takes a real leader to get others to work well together. And it’s not about always doing things your way, but putting others before yourself. That’s the kind of leader Jesus was.”

Jill looked over to where Susannah was swinging. That’s what I want to be—a leader, she thought. Not a silly goose.

Susannah jumped off the swing and walked over. “So what’s it going to be?” she asked, glaring at Jill.

“Okay,” Jill said. “You can decide this time. That way we won’t have to fight about it anymore.”

“Really?” asked Susannah. Jill nodded. “Okay,” said Susannah. “Then next time, you can decide.” – Lois A. Witmer

How About You?

Do you always want others to do things your way? Do you try to take charge by fighting and forcing everybody else to do what you want? That’s not what Jesus wants you to do. He was a leader who put others ahead of Himself, and He wants you to do the same. Help others live in peace by doing what’s best for everyone, not just yourself. That’s the mark of a true leader.

Today’s Key Verse:
Ephesians 4:3 (NIV) Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Today’s Key Thought:

Learn to get along with others