A ROYAL GESTURE

The homecoming crowd of Monroe, Ohio was surprised and in disbelief when the newly crowned homecoming queen, Megan Neu, relinquished her new-found royalty to her best friend, Cindy Christopher. As soon as she was crowned, Megan called her best friend over, one of the five nominees in the homecoming court, removed her crown and placed it on Cindy's head.

When Good Morning America interviewed her and asked why she did it, listeners found out that Cindy's mother had died that morning after a five-year long struggle with cancer. Megan had decided what she was going to do just before the game and said, "I wanted to do something to honor her." Afterward, an overwhelmed Cindy Christopher said that she hoped to someday be able to repay her friend for her kindness…"I'll do anything for her," she said.

In a day when selfishness, greed and "what's in it for me" mentality seems to reign, isn't it a breath of fresh air to hear of stories such as this of caring, selfless individuals like Megan Neu.

I couldn't help but think of One who gave up the crown of heaven not just for his friends, but his enemies as well. The apostle Paul, wrote to dear Christian friends who were apparently having trouble putting others first. Listen to what he says,

"Do nothing out of vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-even death on a cross!"-Philippians 2:3-8

Do you hear what he is saying? Jesus became for us an example of how to treat others-by selfless acts of kindness, giving up self for the benefit and blessing of others. Did you catch that? He had all the glory and power as God, but didn't consider "being on equality with God something to be grasped!" He let it go...became a servant...and died on a cross. He did all that for us!

In another place the apostle said it this way, "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich."-2 Corinthians 8:9. He, as Lord and King, gave up the glory of heaven in order to come to earth and give us life, in effect, to make heaven available to us. He came to honor us!

What a royal gesture, indeed!

Tom Nuckels
November 3, 2002