Me! Me!

“Tell those rich in this world’s wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage—to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. If they do that, they’ll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life.”  (1 Timothy 6: 17-19, The Message).

The world has always had selfish, self-absorbed, self-centered people, but psychologists have documented an alarming trend of self-absorption that threatens the fabric of our society.[1]  They cite quantifiable cultural changes such as a dramatic increase in plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures, the fact that Americans are racking up more debt to create the appearance of wealth, the emphasis on acquiring more and more things, the desire to be famous, and the increasing number of people who cheat to get what they want, among other factors.  We’ve seen mind-boggling cheating recently in the college admissions scandal.  The rise of social media has fed the frenzy for self-absorption, with people documenting all aspects of their lives to garner more phony “friends,” and to become “famous.”  The Scripture texts for Sunday explain that such self-centeredness will result in self-destruction.[2]

Quoting the message he received from God, Amos sounded a warning that is eerily applicable to the present day culture: “Woe to you who are rushing headlong to disaster! Catastrophe is just around the corner! Woe to those who live in luxury and expect everyone else to serve them! Woe to those who live only for today, indifferent to the fate of others! Woe to the playboys, the playgirls, who think life is a party held just for them! Woe to those addicted to feeling good—life without pain–those obsessed with looking good—life without wrinkles! They could not care less about their country going to ruin” (Amos 6: 3-6, The Message).

As Paul points out, money in itself is not evil.  Money is neutral. It is not intrinsically good or bad.  Rather, it is “The love of money that is the root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6: 10).   If money or fame or anything else becomes the focus of your life, you will have no time for God.  You will have no room for God. You can’t be obsessed with fame, fortune, power, your looks, good times, or anything else without pushing God out of the picture. You won’t have the time or energy for God if you are absorbed with such things.  You just won’t.

Narcissistic behaviors not only push God from our consciousness, but also diminish our interest to help others.  When we are self-centered instead of other-centered, we tend to forget the needs of others because we are distracted with feeding our own desires.  Paul instructed Timothy to “Tell those rich in this world’s wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage—to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. If they do that, they’ll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life.(1 Timothy 6: 17-19, The Message).  Being generous is not only a boost to those in need of help, but benefits the giver greatly in keeping one focused on the things that God views as important.  And being focused on God and others leads to the peace that passes all understanding:  “And God’s peace, which is far beyond human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

Paul advised Timothy, his young protégée, to “Run for your life from all this. Pursue a righteous life—a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. Run hard and fast in the faith. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses” (1 Timothy 6: 11-12, The Message).

Jesus was well aware of the human tendency toward pride and self-aggrandizement.  He knew that many people do not accept God because of their own feelings of self-importance. In the story of the rich man and the beggar Lazarus, Jesus reports that the rich man, suffering in hell from his separation from God, begged Abraham to resurrect someone to warn his brothers.   Abraham told him that they would not believe even if someone was resurrected: “Abraham replied, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the Prophets, they’re not going to be convinced by someone who rises from the dead’”  (Luke 16: 31, The Message).  It was a prescient statement for Jesus to make as he made his way to Jerusalem to die. He was warning his audience that unbelief would continue even after he is resurrected.  Jesus knew human nature.

The psalmist gives us advice that we can take to the bank in reminding us that the God who created the universe is in charge: “Don’t put your trust in human leaders; no human being can save you. When they die, they return to the dust; on that day all their plans come to an end. Happy are those who have the God of Jacob to help them and who depend on the Lord their God, the Creator of heaven, earth, and sea, and all that is in them. He always keeps his promises; he judges in favor of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry” (Psalm 146: 3-7).

Go counter culture. Turn away from the pull of the culture that encourages you to concentrate on yourself.  Put your faith and hope in the God who created the universe and everything in it. Put your time and energy into the things of God.  He always keeps his promises. Turn your life over to the Spirit who is by your side, guiding, comforting, and counseling. Become other-centered instead of self-centered.  Be self-sacrificing instead of self-indulgent.  And remember that God is in charge, no matter what happens, and that you are his precious child.

Prayer: “Father, help me to be sensitive to what is happening to people around me .  . .  I know that today I will meet some who are enduring hidden physical or emotional pain, others who are fearful of an uncertain future, and still others who carry burdens of worry for families and friends. May I take no one for granted, but instead, be a ready communicator of your love and encouragement.  Make me aware of the concerns of others, available to express your care, and articulate with your hope.”  Lloyd John Olgivie

Praying the Scriptures:  The Scripture texts for Sunday, September 29 are Amos 6:1-7; Psalm 146; 1 Timothy 3:1-13 or 1 Timothy 6:6-19; and Luke 16:19-31. Choose a word or phrase each day from one of the texts, or from the following excerpts from the texts to pray during the coming week:

“Woe to you who are rushing headlong to disaster! Catastrophe is just around the corner! Woe to those who live in luxury and expect everyone else to serve them! Woe to those who live only for today, indifferent to the fate of others! Woe to the playboys, the playgirls, who think life is a party held just for them! Woe to those addicted to feeling good—life without pain–those obsessed with looking good—life without wrinkles! They could not care less about their country going to ruin” (Amos 6: 3-6, The Message).

“And God’s peace, which is far beyond human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

Tell those rich in this world’s wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage—to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. If they do that, they’ll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life. (1 Timothy 6: 17-19, The Message).

It is “The love of money that is the root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6: 10).

“Don’t put your trust in human leaders; no human being can save you. When they die, they return to the dust; on that day all their plans come to an end. Happy are those who have the God of Jacob to help them and who depend on the Lord their God, the Creator of heaven, earth, and sea, and all that is in them. He always keeps his promises; he judges in favor of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry” (Psalm 146: 3-7).

Diane Cieslikowski Reagan

[1]See,Tweng and Campbell’s The Narcissism Epidemic(2009) Simon and Schuster.

[2]The Scripture texts for Sunday are Amos 6:1-7; Psalm 146; 1 Timothy 3:1-13 or 1 Timothy 6:6-19; and Luke 16:19-31