ME, MY, MINE!

Luke 22:42b
“…yet not my will, but yours be done."

I Corinthians 13:5
“It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.”

I am self-centered and self-seeking. That’s as much a statement of fact as it is a confession of sin. The problem is that I know that and I have known it for some time…that’s how this particular sin operates.

Knowing is like smoking, enough scientific and medical evidence exists to show smoking could kill, but that doesn’t stop people from smoking. People stop smoking when they get this “desire” to stop and not before. My father smoked for 35 years and one day decided to quit. He tried the patch for 1 day and after that day went cold turkey. Why? An intense desire to change.

Knowing is not good enough. For a self-centered or self-seeking person, the recognition of this is not necessary seen as a fault. If it’s all about me, why do I care about everyone/anyone else? While I would love to blame society…pass the buck/blame, I simply cannot blame anyone but myself.

It’s not about blame or fault though! It’s about change…life-altering change! It’s about desire! It’s about passion! It’s about small-steps! It’s about a holy God’s mighty working in my life! Today is a day of change and transformation.

Why change? It’s a must! Even Jesus recognized it was a must when he asked for the cup (upcoming death) to be taken from him. It was about his Father’s will and not his own. (Luke 22.42) Paul echoed it as a must when defining LOVE in I Corinthians 13:5 by plainly and clearly stating ‘love is not self-seeking.’ The point is further made in the first & greatest commandment and the second “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.. Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matt 22:37-39) If love is defined as ‘not self-seeking’ by Paul and we are commanded to LOVE GOD and LOVE OTHERS…how can I ever truly love God or others if I am self-seeking? It’s been echoed over and over in my recent readings…it’s not about me, it’s about others.

I want to love without bounds and serve without reservation…change is in order!

IT’S A MUST!