The impact of your actions on others

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.— Romans 12:10

An old dentist recounts a story about his very busy dental office years ago. Apparently, he had one particular patient who was constantly late to his appointments. One day, this man was scheduled to come in to get a cavity filled. Before his appointment that morning, the phone at the office rang. It was the patient calling to let the dentist know he’d be about 15 minutes late. “Will that be a problem?” he asked.

No, that won’t be a problem at all,” the dentist told him.“We just won’t have time to give you any anesthetic.

For the first time, that man arrived early for his appointment!

It’s amazing the change you see in others once they realize their actions will have a negative impact on them. So often, people are content to cause others trouble, yet when it causes them problems, they straighten up very quickly.

But the Bible says in today’s passage to honor others above and beyond yourself. This means that in everything you do, consider the effects of your actions on other people. Then think, “If someone did this to me, how would it make me feel?

As Christians, it’s our duty to love others—even those who don’t love us. So prefer others in your decisions and show God’s love in everything you do!

Prayer Challenge

Ask God to show you how you can prefer others in the decisions you make.

Questions for thought

Can you think of a time recently when someone’s actions had a negative impact on you? How might that motivate you to consider others in your daily choices?

Would those who know you best categorize you as someone who puts the needs of others before their own? If not, what specific steps can you take to improve in this area?