Acts 13:13-25 / John 13:16-20
One of the potholes
and pitfalls in human relationships is the disagreement in opinions that
often lead to quarrels and even fights.
This often
happens between superior and subordinates, between manager and worker,
between parent and children, and the list goes on and on.
And because of this disagreement, there is so much unhappiness and that can make life quite miserable.
In the gospel, Jesus gave us a direction for happiness in life.
He
said this: I tell you solemnly, no servant is greater than his master,
no messenger is greater than the man who sent him. Now that you know
this, happiness will be yours if you behave accordingly.
"Happiness will be yours if you behave accordingly". So what is meant by behaving accordingly?
In the most simple of terms, it means to be obedient.
Just as a servant is obedient to his master, and not to think that he is better or smarter than his master.
It
is this kind of simple obedience that will bring about happiness in our
lives because we know where we stand in life and we know that we must
respect our elders and superiors.
It is also this kind of simple obedience that is required when it comes to our relationship with God.
It is in obeying God and doing His will that we will attain happiness in life.
God's
will for us is as plain and as simple as this - to follow His Son
Jesus, who emptied Himself and became obedient unto death, even death on
a cross.
So when we empty ourselves of our pride and humbly obey our elders and superiors, we will indeed be happy in life.