One. Two Three. All Eyes On Me.

In the land of the free and the home of the brave, one thing rings true: the individual reigns supreme over their life.

It doesn’t matter what the government claims as legal or illegal.

It doesn’t matter what our pastors remind us of.

It doesn’t matter what our coaches scream at us.

It doesn’t matter what our parents teach us.

It doesn’t matter what common sense would tell us.

The fact of the matter is that we bought into the self-righteous (spiritual or not) notion:

We are in charge.

We own our bodies.

We deserve only the best for ourselves.

We choose our own path.

We rule our own worlds.

We call the shots.

The world revolves around us.

We claim that we don’t know where it comes from. But in our hearts and minds we know that it’s fed to us every day.

From McDonald’s slogan “Have It Your Way”

To the iPhones that bring us entertainment in an instant

From the fast food drive thrus

To the commercials that are fitted for our every pleasure

From the mail man

To the remote control

From the malls

To the gyms

It’s about us.

Decisions based on individual feelings rather than transcendent, universal truth

Lives lived for the sake of self rather than the sake of others.

And yet in all of this… who do we not blame for accepting this silly myth?

Us.

We are the innocent bystander.

We are the martyr.

The victim of an egotistical culture.

We have been brainwashed.

Yet, if we knew that all this was false, why did we fall prey to the trap?

Because we loved the idea that all eyes are on us.

Because we loved that we are in control.

That we are the kings.

That we are gods.

How then can we even perceive anything other than through the lenses of self-seeking?

We read the Bible and understand it as a bunch of good stories with good morals.

But in the end, we don’t have to obey everything or accept everything as truth because after all, truth is relevant to everyone right? After all, we know what’s best for ourselves.

We pray and ask that our will be done on earth and also in heaven

But we laugh at the notion that God would claim supreme authority over everything. Even us. After all, he is an American and the divine government is democracy right? A government by the people and for the people

We stand and sing songs about God, not for God

In our minds, we deserve the praise and honor.

No, no and no.

What’s the problem with all of this: us.

We are the sinners that claim that we can save ourselves.

We are the sick that claim we are healed.

We are the blind that claim we can see.

We are the fools that claim to be wise.

And in this disillusion, the cancer of sin eats away at our emotions, our thoughts, our eyes, our ears, our families, our friends, our life.

And after sin has had its way and driven its path of destruction through our existence, what are we left with?

Ourselves.

Which is what we wanted, right?

May we see our lives as the Bible actually reveals us to be:

creatures wonderfully and fearfully made by a loving Creator

pots shaped to fit and form by the Potter

helpless sheep in need of a Guiding Shepherd

humans on earth in desperate need of God.

May we get up off our thrones and couches of individualism to seek the Lord in spirit and in truth.

May we repent.

May we despise the sin within us.

May we stop putting ourselves at the center of this universe.

God is waiting for us, waiting for us to get out of our own way and come home to His arms. What will you do?

“Therefore the LORD⁽waits to be gracious to you,
   and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.
For the LORD is a God of justice;
   blessed are all those who wait for him” (Isaiah 30:18)