Do I love me.....too much!

This morning, I was in the locker room of the gym where I work out.  Unfortunately, the music was playing too loud to ignore.  I usually have my own Ipod, so I don't have to listen to the latest music on the top 40 list.  This morning, I had no choice and the two songs which I heard caught my ear.  The first one was "I am Beautiful" - I don't know if that was the title, but the female singer continued to sing this line over and over again.  She felt she was beautiful regardless of what anyone else had to say or think.  The second song was sung by a woman telling a man that he wished she was his girlfriend.  She talked about how hot and sexy she was and how much he must long for her.  I do not know who sings either of these songs nor do I know how popular they are.  However, I do know they reflect a very sick and hurting view of self.  Psychologists use the term of "narcissist" to describe someone who has this type of infatuation with self. 

Now, I'm not the world's deepest thinker nor the greatest theologian, but I know these songs reveal a deep hurt and brokenness in our world today.  I doubt either of these singers profess faith in Christ because their words are in such opposition to the truth of Christ.  When we commit our lives to Jesus, He gives us a sense of purpose...a calling which moves us beyond ourselves.  No longer is our own world the most important.  We experience a change in outlook which allows us to put others before ourselves.  We find the joy of "being last" rather than fighting to be first.  We become an encourager like Barnabas who would rather spend time strengthening others and helping them along in life than obsessing over our own bodies and desires.   We realize that being great in Jesus' Kingdom is all about being a servant of others. 

Now this kind of mindset is difficult because it goes against human nature and what we are taught.  Only through the power of the Holy Spirit can we have this kind of attitude.  If you are like me, you struggle against being selfish and self-centered.  I want what I want.  However, as I allow Jesus to transform my life, I begin to want what He wants.  I have found that what He wants is eternal and satisfying while my desires are superficial and leave me empty. 

Let us not allow the culture of our lives to dictate the direction of our lives.  Let us be the one who serve and allow others to go first.  May this Sip of the Well refresh you to become a servant like Jesus!