A Self-Centered Life
In the cartoon “The Wizard of Id” the dwarfish king of Id enters the workshop of Wiz and finding him staring through a telescope asks, “whatcha looking for Wiz?” The astrologer answers, “The center of the universe.” The little king responds, “Speaking!” That is a powerful statement of self-centeredness.
In his best selling book “The Purpose Driven Life” Rick Warren opened with these lines, “I chose those four words—‘It’s not’—to start The Purpose Driven Life because that’s the most countercultural message you could give in today’s world. Nearly everything in society—songs, video games, TV shows, news stories, and advertisements—says you’ve got to think about yourself first.” He continued, “Our message is not about ourselves. It is about Jesus Christ as the Lord. We are your servants for his sake.”
The more you lead a self-focused life, the more you’re prone to discouragement. Every time you forget that it’s not about you, you’re going to get prideful or fearful or bitter. Those feelings will always lead to discouragement because they keep you focused on yourself.
Everybody needs strengthening and encouragement. Modern behaviorist Dale Carnegie said, “About three-fourths of the people you will ever meet are hungering and thirsting for sympathy. Give it to them, and they will love you.”
A healthy minded person is empathetic. Being empathetic toward others requires one to put themselves in another person’s shoes and understand their feelings. Self-centered people may not be able to see things from another person’s perspective in order to empathize with them.
They may not be able to recognize that they’ve done something wrong and may blame others for any mistakes.
The actor who doesn’t respect the audience soon loses favor with them. So, the person who doesn’t respect his friendship circle soon loses favor with them.
“God does not exist to make a big deal out of us. We exist to make a big deal out of Him. It’s not about you. It’s not about me. It’s all about Him,” wrote Max Lucado.
Embedded in the Book of Galatians is this gem worthy of emulating: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).
Focus your life on these principles.
“For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned” (Romans 12: 3).