“You will say on that day: ‘I thank you, LORD. Though you were angry with me, your anger turned away and you comforted me.’” — Isaiah 12:1 CEB

My dad agreed to play Capture the Flag with us so the teams would be even. As a captain with the first round draft pick, I selected my cousin to be on my team. I had the chance to pick my little brother, but I chose my cousin instead because he was older and presumably faster.

My father was furious. From his perspective, making my brother feel wanted should have been more important to me than anything else, including winning. To teach me a lesson, he saw to it that my team lost. And for the sake of justice, he made sure it was my baby brother who returned home with our flag in his hand.

When we fail to look out for the weak, the underprivileged and the marginalized among us, we provoke the anger of our Heavenly Father. But the Lord’s ultimate agenda is not to punish us. God wants us to prioritize our sisters and brothers over self-serving ambitions. God knows that true success doesn’t come from amassing victories, but by fostering meaningful connections.

After our team had been sufficiently humiliated, my dad’s wrath subsided. He put his hand on my shoulder and spoke to me gently. We were enemies for a brief moment. We would be family forever.

O God, we confess that we too often neglect people in need because we are consumed by self-interest. Help us to love you by making others our highest priority. Amen.