It's All About Me

"--everything is filter through the mini me of the eye."

It's all about me!

READ Ezekiel 8:1-11:25

SITUATION God spoke through his servant Ezekiel. He showed the Israelites the reason for their exile.

OBSERVATION God hates idolatry. He hates anything that gets in the way of a relationship with him. And self-centeredness, at its root, is idolatry.

INSPIRATION The self-centered see everything through self. Their motto? "It's all about me!" The flight schedule. The traffic. The dress styles. The worship styles. The weather or not one works---everything is filter thought the mini-me in the eye.

Selfishness.

Such a condition can be fatal.

Listen to the words of James. "Where jealousy and selfishness are, there will be confusion, and every kind of evil." (James 3:16) .

Need proof?

Let's examine one newspaper. Today's edition. How many examples of selfishness will we find in the first few pages?

1. A teenage girl died in a car wreck. Her boyfriend was challenged to a race on a city street. He took the dare and wrapped the car around a telephone pole.

2. The largest petroleum company in the world has filed bankruptcy. Executives allegedly knew the ship had leaks but told no one until they had time to make Hugh profits.

3. A prominent citizen is put in jail for child ponography.

Selfishness is to society what the Exxon Valdez was to scallops and sea otters--deadly. It is any wonder that Paul writes, "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own interests, but also for the interest of others" (Philippians 2:3-4, NASB).

At first glance the standard in the passage seems impossible to meet. Nothing? We shouldn't do anything for ourselves? No new dress or suit. What about going to school or saving money--couldn't all of these things be consider selfish?

They could, unless we are careful to understand what Paul is saying. The word the apostle uses for selfishness shares a root form with the words strife and contentious. It suggest a self-preoccupation that hurts others. A divisive arrogance. In fact, first century writers used the word to describe a politician who procured office by illegal manipulation or a harlot who seduced the client, demeaning both herself and him. Selfishness is an obsession with self that excludes others, hurting everyone.

Looking after your personal interest is proper life management. Doing so to the exclusion of the rest of the world is selfishness. (From A Love Worth Giving by Max Lucad0)

APPLICATION Idols come in attractive packages today. You can identify them when they keep you from worship, consume your tithe, or become what you are most proud of. What can you do? Take time to evaluate what may be idols in your life. Pray that God will help you remove them from your life.

EXPLORATION Idolatry -- Leviticus 26:1, Isaiah 42:8, 1 John 5:21.

The Devotional Bible - Experiencing the Heart of Jesus, Max Lucado General Editor, New Century Version, Thomas Nelson Publishers