I had a good laugh this week reading a book that a co-worker lent me. I know most of you probably remember Floyd and his Lion/Beaver/Raccoon/whatever talk he gave us, and this is a lot like that. It's a book called "The Birth Order Book", and it tries to explain why we are the way we are based on where we were born. (The original title was "Abel had it coming," but the publisher who was obviously a firstborn wouldn't allow it!)

Now, in case you weren't following that, it doesn't mean what location, such as Massachusetts or Ohio or somewhere else. It doesn't mean where you where born in terms of at home, or at the hospital. It means, are you the oldest child? The youngest child? An only child? The middle child? Because supposedly where you were born within a family will haunt you, or help you, for the rest of your life.

Consider these descriptions, in no particular order:

Child 1 - Mediator, diplomatic, independent, loyal, maverick, secretive, many friends
Child 2 - charming, attention seeker, people person, affectionate, blames others
Child 3 - perfectionist, reliable, conscientions, organized, serious, scholarly, logical

Do you feel like one of these sounds like you more than the others? Consider your mate, if you are married. If your mate is an oldest child (or at least the oldest male or the oldest female of their family) then they may sound very 3ish. If your mate was the baby when they grew up, chances are #2 best describes them. (I think you can figure out which one is supposed to describe a "middle" child, and are often ignored in favor of the first and last!)

Now let's apply some interesting statistics. Over 60% of US Presidents were either firstborn or only children. Not real amazing until you realize that 100% have been first born males. Of the first 23 US astronauts in space, all were firstborns or only children. Leading men in Hollywood tend to be firstborns. Teachers, preachers and others in positions of authority tend to be firstborns. Sense a trend here? Well, who cares!

Comics tend to be lastborns, likely they honed their comic skills seeking attention at early ages, and they tend to have a better sense of humor overall. Salesman and politicians in general are usually lastborns. Obviously, the lastborns are obviously the coolest and best overall, and are extremely modest. And you know I would never say such a thing just because I am a lastborn myself!

I was laughing at the book not because the author has observed birth order trends and tried to predict behavior with it. I was laughing because he sometimes <excuses> behavior with it. For instance, that lastborn is going to be irresponsible, selfish and loud mouthed. The firstborn is going to be uptight, too serious and without compassion. Even that middle child is going to focus inward, compromise on everything, and try to please everyone. Since "they can't help it," we should all just try to understand one another and get along as best we can in spite of this bad behavior.

I think this is a lot of human wisdom. Interesting, well argued, but I remain a skeptic. While these trends may be find for predicting the way a person may act, I cannot accept that a person's behavior is somehow locked in because of the order they were born and and they cannot escape it. It seems to me that God expects the same things out of all of us, obedience from the heart. It doesn't matter if I am born last or first, if I am poor or rich, if I am born in the USA or Madagascar. Surely I can use my talents in whatever way is best, and if a lastborn tends to be gabby or a person person or an attention seeker, then so be it. I need to bring myself in alignment with God. And if a firstborn tends to be snobby or aloof, surely they can work to soften themselves to be better servants!

You know, lately in the news I have heard that supposedly the tomb of James the brother of Jesus has been found. Well, maybe. But I do know this: James wasn't a firstborn. He had a brother Jesus that lived a perfect life before him. "Why can't you be more like your brother?" might have ring in his ears a time or two. But he grew up, and he believed, and he was a good servant in God's sight. I might never get to be president, or an astronaut, or a leading man in Hollywood. But I can be like James., who is a birth order example to all of us! Think about it!

Matthew 13:55-56 Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?

Jude 1-2 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.

Galatians 1:18-19 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.

Romans 9:12-13 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

Matthew 4:18-22 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

Matthew 12:46-50 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.