Have you ever noticed that one of the very first words children learn is the word "mine"? Mine; my toy. Mine; my blanket. Mine; my cookie. Mine; my seat. Nobody has to teach a child to say "mine." In fact, my dad did NOT do me any favors when he himself taught my kids that word. (Thanks, Dad!) It seems to come naturally, our obsession of ME. What takes years to learn is another word: "ours."

Some people never really learn that word, I'd say. We live in a culture that constantly teaches me to think about ME. My career. My house. My plans. My retirement. My comfort. My happiness. Couples who go through pre-marital counseling with me learn that one of the biggest helps for a healthy marriage is being willing to turn the M upside down, from ME to WE, where our decisions and paths we forge aren't only about ourselves alone anymore. God put us into communities like families and tribes and congregations so that we can experience the power of WE, OUR, US.

The concept of turning the M upside down can be easily played out in Christian communities called "The Church." I'm going to make the statement that it's absolutely crucial for us to learn it, in fact, because it's easy to see that churches can fall into exactly the same trap. We can become focused on our worship, our programs, our budget, our building, our ministries, and our preferences. And before long, the church exists primarily for the people already inside it rather than the people Jesus wants to reach outside it.