It’s Not About You

24 Oct

“At the end of the day it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished  It’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better, it’s about what you’ve given back.”
~ Denzel Washington

Children are in need of socialization at a very early age.  They have found out over many years and through many studies that the earlier children socialize with peers the quicker they come to realize that it is not all about them, that there is a larger world out there in which they are just one part.

You would think that would be a statement that most anyone could agree with, wouldn’t you?  Yet, there are so many people who act as if the whole world revolves — or, at least should revolve — around them.  They do not care how other people feel, what other people think, or if other people are placed at a disadvantage.  As long as their wants are satisfied, that is all that matters to them.

We have many labels for people like that.  Some are called narcissists, others sociopaths, and still others conceited or self-centered.  The need for the world to revolve around them does not only happen on the emotional/social level, it also happens on the spiritual level.  There are many people who believe, truly believe, that God owes them.  Why?  Well, because He created them.  And if they are lacking anything, that is God’s fault.  He is the one who better deliver because He is the one who is keeping them lacking.

You can just imagine God shaking his head, maybe rolling his eyes, at their attitude.  However, if we have even a slight percentage of that kind of attitude, our spiritual life will suffer.  There are times that we might feel as if God owed us.  Maybe we have prayed for a long time, quite sincerely, and our prayers do not seem to have been answered.  Maybe we are praying for the health and well-being of someone we truly love and they are not improving.  There might be a part of us that wants to blame God.  These are all reflections of a relationship that needs some work.

We need to remember that it is not all about us.  We are quite insignificant in the grand scheme of things.  We are just one in millions, in billions of people.  We are one in many planets, galaxies, and other created realities.  We are a proverbial drop in the bucket.  The sooner we learn that, the more open we will be to praying correctly.

Be simple.  Ask God.  Let Him hear you.  He already knows your heart and your thoughts but He loves to hear your voice.  Ask Him to give you the patience you need while you wait for His answer.  Ask Him to help you realize where you fit in His grand design.  Above all, be thankful for all the blessings that you have received.  Remember, He is helping others as well.  He is listening to others as well.  He is coming to the aid of others as well.  And some of those others need His help more than you.  You might even give Him thanks for the fact that your problems are not as bad as others.

While you’re waiting for Him to come to your aid, be an instrument of His love and go to the aid of others.  They may have been waiting just as long as you, maybe even longer, for help.  You might just be the person for whom they have been waiting.

FAITH ACTION:  Be intentional in making this day not about you but about others: lift them up, help them out, acknowledge them, let them know that someone cares.