Exercises In Self-Centeredness
July 11, 2008 – 10:08 pmOften, my flesh thinks it needs 2 things to be happy:
- Everyone else to stop sinning in ways that annoy me, inconvenience me, or make me feel like I need to rebuke them or tell them to stop.
- Everyone else to focus on making me happy, meeting my needs, fixing my problems.
Simple enough, right? I feel like I’m not too unique here.
Here’s Jesus’ approach: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” - Mark 10:45
I can’t “give my life as a ransom for many” and atone for sin. But I can stop looking at myself and start looking at Jesus because of His atonement for sin. And I can serve others, for His glory, as Jesus enabled me and showed me how to do.
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. - 1 Peter 4:10-11
How to really be happy? Live pointing at, relying on, and hoping in Jesus.
-Ben
