I’m not the center of my world…

After writing yesterday’s devotional thoughts about glorifying God instead of ME, my emotions went from joy to sadness, but at first the reason was not apparent. Later, it became obvious that I really would like to glorify me. The train image of facts < faith < feelings came to mind and I thought about the facts of what Jesus has done, then realized this was just ME trying to bring back the joy. I could hear the Lord asking — was having His joy more important than having Him? The day seemed long and I went to bed thinking if this was what He wanted for me, then I had to accept it. But did I want to? Not much.

This morning’s reading puts forward another thought that I must agree with. It begins with this word from Jesus:

And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.” (Mark 12:38–40)

The devotional writer points out how some people think they are humble and lowly in heart when they say bitter and disparaging things about themselves. This is not true. Most do not realize that the giant ME is as much exalted and puffed up by self-blame as by self-praise. I agree. That old nature is so greedy for attention that if it cannot be praised, it would rather be criticized than not noticed at all.

This means thinking bad things about myself is almost as good as thinking good of myself because saying, “I am so bad” gets ME thinking that I am humble. I’ve known this truth, even taught others how the flesh will take negative attention as well as positive just as long as the attention is on ME. Both extremes are sinful and hold a definition of humility that is not biblical.

Yesterday, my thoughts about glorifying the Lord were biblically correct, but that was not humility for I found myself thinking it was good of me to take that stand. As the devotional writer says, “what can be more delicious to self-love than to hear itself applauded for seeming to be humble?”

So I’m not really what I should be. The truly meek and lowly heart does not want to talk about ME at all, either for good or evil. The power of Christ is there and to be glorified from the heart, not mere lip service because it is the right thing to do. No wonder the Holy Spirit let me experience His grief at my correct but insincere words. He says:

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. (Romans 12:3)

C. S. Lewis adds that true humility does not think highly or lowly of self, but does not think about self at all. My focus for the family reunion needs to be on those who attend, not on what I need to do to make this a great event, etc. I also need to remember Jesus in the garden saying, “Not my will but thine be done.” And remember what Paul wrote about the Lord’s humility:

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:3–8)

PRAY: Jesus, You live in me and the only way I can get my mind off ME is to think with Your mind and not my old nature. Apart from You, I can do nothing (true) but in You, all things are possible. Have Your way in my heart, no matter how impossible it might seem.

 

Pride exalts me; love exalts others

 

A neighbor talks continually, mostly about her activities, likes and dislikes, and opinions. She is not fun to be with. However, I suspect the biggest reason she bugs me is that she reminds me of myself. I can be like that too.

An inflated view of self does not necessarily go for the center of every conversation talking about self or bragging. It can subtly resent those who do not acknowledge me about my accomplishments or take any interest in what I have to say. God says . . .

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant (1 Corinthians 13:4)

Love does not boast because boasting is exalting me at the expense of others, trying to make me look good and putting them down as lesser in some way. It can spawn jealousy and create great rifts between people who are gifted, believe in Jesus, and could be using their gifts to bless others rather than indulging in gaining praises for themselves.

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them . . . . (Romans 12:3–6)

This statement comes in the context of spiritual gifts. The Christians at Corinth had become spiritual show-offs where each one vied for attention and prominence. Their worship services were chaotic resulting in Paul’s rebuke in chapter 14:

What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, (1 Corinthians 14:26–33)

He concluded by saying, “But all things should be done decently and in order.” (1 Corinthians 14:40)

This lack of love violates God’s goal to transform us into the image of His Son. He says:

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:3–8)

Boasting about my spiritual gifts or anything else is senseless. I did nothing to earn anything and they are not a reflection of me, but of God’s grace. “What do I have that I did not receive? If then I received it, why do I boast as if I did not receive it?” (1 Corinthians 4:7)

PRAY: Jesus, I know that feelings of superiority can produce boasting, but so can feelings of inferiority, as if boasting will make it go away. However, love requires humility and sometimes humility does not feel good. This indicates pride licking at my wounds rather than rejoicing in the fact that I deeply need You for everything. Help me to daily acknowledge total dependence on Your grace and praise You that I even can live and breathe, never mind exercise any gifts that You have entrusted to me. Forgive me for letting my pride keep me from loving and considering the needs of others.

PONDER: Compare Proverbs 16:18 with 18:12. What does God tell me about the danger of pride and what He wants for me instead?

 

 

The problem with the world is . . .

Some time ago, one of my adult children said, “Mom, I finally figured out what is wrong with the world — everyone is selfish.” She nailed it. Jesus implied it also, not directly but when He offered the cure to take care of a problem, He was obviously thinking of selfishness:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.”(John 12:24-26)

Living a fruitful life that pleases God and is helpful to others requires death, a denial of self. Jesus calls selfishness ‘loving his life’ — a phrase that is loaded with meaning. We might call it “Looking out for number one” or “taking care of me first.” Sometimes it shows up blatantly. Sometimes it is more subtle.

Subtle is illustrated by the woman who said to me, “I love helping other people because it makes me feel so good.” At that I sarcastically thought, ‘Would you do it if it didn’t feel good?’ But I am not so cynical now. I’ve also done the ‘helping others to make me feel good’ thing. It is a ‘politically correct’ way to express my selfishness. Another one is to simply ignore the needs around me, or just pray for them without doing anything. Selfishness can look nice.

Sacrificial service can feel good too, but often does not. Whatever is done for others with even the best of motives, some of them, or at least the extremely selfish people out there are never satisfied. They want bigger, better, or more and are not content or thankful for what they have. That doesn’t feel good. I recognize both sides for I can be like both.

Jesus was not like that, not selfish and not double-minded about personal sacrifice. As the day of His death approached, He knew it was coming. He prayed:

“Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.”

Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”

Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. (John 12:24–33)

Jesus knew He had to be lifted up on a cross to die even as He asked the Father to spare Him. His great purpose was to glorify God and that took priority. He gave up all that might have stood in the way of this main goal, including His right to life. His attitude was as far from selfish as it could be, and because of His willingness to make that ultimate sacrifice, the world has never been the same.

In practical terms, what does it mean to “hate” my life in this world? To die to self? To follow Jesus in service? The Greek word is intense dislike, aversion. Perhaps Jesus uses this word to give no wiggle room for me to be preoccupied with ‘my life’ rather than being concerned for others. However, there are biblical grounds to take care of me. Philippians 2:4 says, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

This verse broad because of its context. Taking care of my own interests cannot be an excuse for selfishness:

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:3–8)

 In other words, I’m responsible for my home, family, work, and so on, but not to the point that it becomes self-serving. Even in taking care of my own interests, I’m still required to be an obedient servant of God, concerned for His glory and the needs of others.

Today I wrestle with prayer. It is for my own good, but that cannot be my reason for praying. It is for the good of others even as it draws me closer to God. However, prayer is hard work and my whole being selfishly whines for something easier, or at least easier prayer. It would be easier to read some prayers rather than speaking from my heart. God does not allow that excuse either. What I want is not the issue. I’m to listen and talk to God. Period.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Lord Jesus, I can write easier than talk, do anything easier than talk. Prayer is hard. Hear what I must say today. And grant me the energy, grace, and right attitude to be selfless rather than selfish when I do it.