Economic Game Theory

We are all presented with choices and the tendency is to focus on the self and gratifying the selfish desire. The Lord has been teaching me to think of others first, but it's just so contradictory to the natural man. My context as an only child only deepened my selfish ambitions. When I started dating Jennifer (she's the only girl that I seriously dated) it quickly dawned on me that I am inherently full of self. Learning to think of her and then to think more highly of her was a difficult journey. To say that I'm still on the journey is an accurate assessment of my current position. The Lord keeps speaking to me though and I want to instill in my children certain values and close to the top of that list is "otherness." Learning to think of others, serve others, and to see through other's eyes. I want my children to be like Christ, and take the lowly road as needed.

I know the following dialog that I had with Mady is considered economic game theory, but I put Madalyn through a test to address her perspective.

She helped out at MCC today with Operation Christmas Child and she ran some "boring" errands with me to the bank and the post office. I stopped off at the gas station to fill up our SUV and she asked me for some "Bug Juice." It's this very sweet, sugary drink that's like Kool-Aid on steroids. The kids love them and our local gas station carries them. They are a special treat for the kids. I decided to teach Mady a lesson.

I told her that she could have the Bug Juice if she was willing to give 2/3 of her juice to Sam and Hannah. She didn't like this idea at all. She said she wanted her own juice and she wanted all of it. I went on to explain that she would still get quite a bit of juice, but the right decision would also benefit Sam and Hannah, as they would be recipients of Bug Juice. She told me she wanted her own drink. I told her that my was my offer and it was final, and as I closed the truck door, I told her to think about it, and let me know her decision. If she wasn't willing to share, I wasn't willing to get her a juice at all.

After about 30 seconds, she opened up the door and said that she wanted to share. I told her that I was proud of her, and her decision not only blessed her, but also blessed her brother and sister. When we went in, I actually got 2 juices for them (they're pretty small) explaining that God blesses those that seek to bless others. When we got home, her brother and sister were ecstatic that they got some. I had them all sit down and I explained that because Mady was willing to share, even though she got a little less, they were the recipients of her selflessness. 

"Lord, continue to help me think of others, like Christ did." 

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10