It May Not Be About Me

It’s one of my favorite lines, not just because of how funny it is, but how true. “I’ve talked long enough about me… how about you talk about me for a while?” We are all, I suspect, our own favorite subjects. Such is foolish enough, but the sadder thing is that we tend to think we must be the favorite subject of everyone else. We are dressing before going to attend a friend’s retirement ceremony, worrying about whether people will be put off by the small spot on our tie. The solution isn’t to stop worrying about the spot. The solution is to realize that we are not going to be the center of attention at our friend’s event. Our friend’s friends are not coming to the event to evaluate our tie, but to celebrate the life work of the honoree.

We make, often, the same mistake when it comes to the providence of God. “Why,” we ask, “are You doing this to me Lord?” It’s true enough that the sovereign God wastes nothing, and is as efficient as He is sovereign. But might it just be that His principle concern about my hardship is how it will work in the lives of others? Might it just be possible that we are playing a part in someone else’s story? Many years ago in the church where I served we had a “widow” that found herself dependent upon the care of the deacons. The deacons were delighted to serve, but the young lady was uncomfortable, felt awkward, bristled under the burden of her dependence. I get that. Which is why I told her this, “I don’t envy you your calling. It is indeed a hard providence. But I do want you to understand the honor you are being given by our Lord. He said that when we give food and water and clothing to the least of these we are giving the same to him. Jesus is asking you to be Jesus to us, so that we, in serving you as His body, can be Jesus to you.”

We move through our days sinfully looking at ourselves as the star of the story, and all others playing roles of varying lesser importance. The truth is that my friend who just betrayed me is, just like me, being sanctified, being remade into the image of Christ, and the tussle we are engaged in is a part of God’s plan for me, but just as much for him. That annoying person driving slowly in the left hand lane on the highway, believer or not, bears the image of God just as much as I do, and will continue into eternity just like I will. (And likely is annoyed that I am tailgating him.)

All of us together are but players in the one story, with one Star, Jesus of Nazareth. It’s not about me. It’s not about the people I envy who have more lines in the play. It’s not about those who envy me for my time on the stage. It’s about the hero of the story, who lives to glorify the Author and Director of the play. His stage direction is simple- Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself- Philippians 2:3. When we think the story is about us, we hearken back to our natural father, who rebelled against the more humble role he was called to play. We, however, have been adopted, through the work of the Star, as the children of the Author and Director. Let us learn to be humble, and content.