Yourself, Yourself, Yourself

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

I like this rather sarcastic definition of a philosopher I got in my Philosophy 101 class in college: “Philosophers are people who talk about something they don't understand and make you think it's your fault!”

Anyone who thinks is a philosopher. That means there are lots of philosophies floating around. I find a lot of them to be more confusing than they are helpful. And if you pay attention, they usually center around “self.” When groups of people with the same philosophy come together, the focus remains the same: 

Education says, "Be resourceful; expand yourself!"
Psychology says, "Be confident; assert yourself!"
Religion says, "Be good; conform yourself!"
Epicureanism says, "Be sensuous; enjoy yourself!"
Materialism says, "Be satisfied; please yourself!"
Pride says, "Be superior; promote yourself!"
Humanism says, "Be capable; believe in yourself!"
Philanthropy says, "Be generous; release yourself!"

I say, “Be real; get over yourself!”

Yourself, yourself, yourself. The world is full of itself. It seems at times it is involved in only three things: doing something for yourself or with yourself or to yourself. Jesus, however, was different. His was a different model and message. He offered a much-needed, fresh approach to a "me-first" culture. It’s found in the Christmas story as told by the apostle Paul to the Philippian Christ followers: 

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. [Philippians 2:3-8 KJV]

The Christmas story is a story of salvation. As the angel told Joseph, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins’” [Matthew 1:21 KJV]

Jesus came to save us from our sins and, joy of joys, to save us from ourselves. The Christmas story invites you to replace "selfishness" and "conceit" with "humility of mind"—the mind of Christ. And that requires an attitude that would rather give than receive.