I wanted to share this thought that came out of my recent discussions with some men as we work through the book of Luke.
It is not supposed to be all about ME!
Do you ever get your feelings hurt without others actually intending to hurt you?
Do you ever feel that if the people around you really understood you, they would see how unselfish and caring and loving and wise you are?
Do you ever wonder why so many people are so selfish?
"I am not selfish, but I think YOU might be"
"I am unselfish, caring, loving & wise, but the people around me just don't understand me."
Do you ever have thoughts like that? (If not, great!)
In Luke 22, there is a very interesting and heartbreaking interaction between Jesus and his twelve disciples/brothers. They are celebrating what he has told them will be their last Passover meal together. He tells them that like the bread and wine they are enjoying, his body will be broken and his blood poured out as part of the new covenant between the people and God. He is telling them that he is going to be beaten and killed, and that it is about to happen. He then tells them that one of them will betray him and turn him over to be killed. According to the story, the twelve begin to question one another as to which of them might be a traitor . . .
Do you know what the next sentence is?
"A dispute arose among them as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest." Luke 22:24
That just amazes me!
I cannot imagine how painful that must have been for Jesus . . .
Here are his closest friends and the men entrusted with the future of the world (from a human perspective) . . .
He has just poured out his heart to them and told them that his body would be broken and his blood poured out . . .
He let them know that one in their number was a traitor and an enemy . . .
They had a quick discussion about who was the traitor . . . A brief show of concern . . .
But it quickly turned back to this selfish, silly question of "who is more important among us?"
They quickly turned from concern for Jesus and for the future of mankind to, "What About Me?"
That describes our world.
That describes the fights on Capitol Hill.
It describes the fights in my family.
It describes the wrestling in my own spirit.
It describes the nature of sin and the nature of man.
I cannot imagine how painful it must be to Jesus!
I won't be very successful in making it less about me unless I make it more about Jesus . . .
Moment by moment, thought by thought, fear by fear, insecurity by insecurity. Less of me, more of Him.
Blessings and peace,
Stan