Be the first to sign up to be last

​This morning, Bob Goff describes a scene I've witnessed too often. Folks fighting over parking spots closer to the building. I've seen people exchanging evil glances, evil middle fingers, evil language - even a couple of evil fender benders - just to get a few spots closer to the front door of our local Walmart.

Goff talks about some of his favorite churches. Churches where folks seem to be silently fighting over the spots in the back row to free up the closer spots for others. (In fairness, I've seen the Walmart scenario above play out at a church or two 😯)

But last week I talked about how it's sort of counter-worldly to love our enemies like Jesus asks us to. But Jesus introduced another idea that's pretty radical - pretty counter-worldly - an idea Goff brings up today. This idea that we should be the first to sign up to be last.

We live in a world that always seems to be determined to be number one. But I've personally experienced what it's like to be celebrated for being number 40,000th.

A few years ago this coming weekend, I ran my first marathon. And, after 30-some thousand people had already finished their races, I approached the finish line of mine. Pretty close to dead last in the race.

I had several friends run those final steps with me. The joy and pride in their eyes couldn't have been any more celebratory of what I was about to do if I'd finished first in that race. Every year, this group of friends waits around to celebrate the last place finishers in this marathon. They look for opportunities to make those who are last feel like they are first.

And you know what I've noticed about them - the joy they seem to feel in doing it.

I think that's why Jesus walked around looking for last place finishers. I think he wants us to follow in his footsteps. Not just because there are some people in the back of the pack in the marathon, in the back of the lines in this world needing help that he wants us to help, but because he knew we'd spend all of our lives looking for joy.

And maybe - just maybe - that joy is found in chasing opportunities to put other people first - at our own expense.