Outwardly Focused?
I like, I want, I need, I’ve earned, I deserve, and I love … are our most predictable starts in conversations today. If we were trying to complete any of those preambles would our next word ever be “nothing”? Maybe it would be for one or two, but not for all of them. The focal point here is really the first word “I”. We are by our core nature inwardly focused. It’s the thought which follows the “I” that tends to begin the process of defining us. “I want to get to know you better” says something very different about us than “that’s who I am, take it leave it”. Let’s go back a bit in time. Why do you suppose we think of ourselves first? In answer to a question, “God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you.‘” (Exodus 3:14 ESV). Yet God, our Creator, is outwardly focused. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27 ESV) Image, as used here, is a very broad term, far surpassing the physical. We know this because God exists as Spirit not physically as we understand it. Is it merely coincidence that we think constantly in the I, me, my vernacular? Our prayers are too often centered around our I, me, my attitudes and needs. One of the greatest challenges we face in life is to change our thinking, to deemphasize ourselves while elevating our concerns for others. Jesus was steadfastly resistant to talking about or focusing on himself. He was all about loving the Lord our God (the Father) and serving others, we need align our thinking with His. We were created in God’s image but we definitely tarnished that image, by disobeying (eating the fruit of the forbidden tree). Obedience is the most critical variable in our transition and the I wants must take a backseat to what He wants both for us and from us.
Whenever I catch myself in one of these “I” statements, which is far too often, a correction is warranted. Over time these corrections become the unconscious new norm and my often stalled transition starts rolling along again. God continuously brings us back to situations which illustrate lessons we haven’t mastered yet. Fortunately the Lord is incredibly patient with us. With God’s constant attention we can grow and with that growth we can achieve so much more of value in life. Making the world a better place is admirable, starting with ourselves is the first step toward that objective.
JC Calkins with COMMON SENSE 4 UNCOMMON PEOPLE (share or repost today)
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