Me, Myself, and I



It has always amazed me how self-centered we (humanity) truly are. I’m thinking about the topic of this week’s sermon (titled “Staying Focus”) and the idea is to not be self-centered but Christ-centered. The main idea is that Christians and the church can start to just think about themselves and get off focused on the true purpose of our lives and the church. It’s about bringing glory to God. To take ourselves out of the equation so God can be glorified.

Self-centeredness is nothing new in this world or even to the church. Jesus told his disciples several times in the gospels to put others before themselves, to consider others higher than themselves, and that the first will be last and the last first.

On our way home in May 2008 from a conference in Washington, DC, Teresa and I were going slow on I95 south on a Saturday (go figure). I kept seeing people just change lanes with no signal (my pet peeve) and generally acting like they were the only people on the road. That day, I coined a phrase, “It’s your world, and we just live in it.” The people of this world have an excuse (not a good one, but they do have it) because they are in darkness where what feels good do it is the general principle.

The church and Christians have no excuse. Jesus’ teachings should be our foundation of living. Yes we are human and by nature putting oneself first is easier than “dying to oneself.” Jesus told us that we need to pick up our cross daily as we walk with Him. This means that we should die to our own interests and follow the interests He has put in us. He said “daily” or for me multiple times daily. It is difficult but not impossible because after all we have the Holy Spirit in us which will help us.

God makes things that are impossible possible for His children because after all He is the One who does and we are called to follow His lead. Where are you in this issue? I wrestle with it myself but I trust God is working on me. The more we read the Bible, pray, and do God’s work, the stronger the spirit is and the weaker the flesh is. The stronger the spirit is, the easier it is to follow God’s direction; in this case, putting others before you.