Over the past couple of days, I have learned some things in dealing with lines and queues that taught me about my walk as a Christian and just being successful in life.
My wife sent me to get a few cans of tomato paste at a local small discount supermarket that usually only has one line open. As I approached the line, there were a couple of senior ladies there who had a lot of stuff in their carts. I thought one of them would let me in front of them, since I only had a few cans in my hands, but no - neither one of them would let me in. So I stood behind them, waiting my turn. One of them had already started to unload her cart, but another clerk came up and said, "I'll take the next person." Well, the other lady who wouldn't let me in was in front of me, so she went first, and then I followed behind her.
As we edged our way up the line towards checkout with the clerk, I happened to look at the other line and noticed that I was ahead of the first lady who was in the other line! The Holy Spirit showed me that even though others may try to hold you back, God can move you ahead of or with them!:
"For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.
But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another." - Psalm 75:6-7 (KJV)
"But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first." - Matthew 19:30 (KJV)
The other thing I noticed about lines and queues was today, when I was driving and approaching an intersection with a red light. There were two lanes and all the cars in front of me were in one lane! Have you ever noticed this too? It's what's called a "herd mentality", where everyone follows the herd.
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So I just went into the empty lane and stopped at the light beside everyone else in the other lane. When the light turned green, I went ahead of everyone. (The first vehicle in the other line was a van, and it started slower than mine!)
Sometimes we should look for the "narrow gate", or where there is no or a smaller line or queue: the one where the least are going.
And avoid the "lemming mentality", where we might follow others without thinking, not realizing what's down the road.
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." - Matthew 17:13-14
Someone even once said, "Observe the masses and do the opposite." It's often the way to success.