At the turn of the century, our family went on a short term missions trip to Mexico. During some of our down time, we decided to visit the local market. As we entered, we were amazed at the wide variety of colorful local fare, from flowers, to fruits and vegetables, to intricate crafts.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Immediately, vendors called their products to our attention for purchase. One of us, I can’t remember who, told them we wanted to look around and that we’d come back.<\/p>\n
We spent a good bit of time enjoying the massive amount of tables, reaching deeper and deeper into the space, to the point we almost lost our way back to the front. Most of us bought at least one thing.<\/p>\n
Suddenly, it dawned upon us how late it was, so we made our way to the front. As we exited, one of the vendors we first encountered yelled in English, “What about me?”<\/p>\n
I felt bad and I’m not even sure we responded, but the question, “What about me?”<\/strong><\/span> has become a family catch phrase when one of us wants to insert ourselves.<\/p>\n As I continue to walk this journey with Jesus, the more I realize I’m asking the same question in my heart. What about me?<\/span><\/strong> Until recently, I didn’t recognize what a consuming quest this really is.<\/p>\n I know I’m not alone in this inward battle. Our Christian lives are a continual challenge, to live in the realities of Galatians 2:20<\/em><\/span><\/strong>, the great summary of God’s good news. “I have been\u00a0crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but\u00a0Christ lives in me; and the\u00a0life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in\u00a0the Son of God, who\u00a0loved me and\u00a0gave Himself up for me.”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Living a life of “I have been crucified”<\/em> is not easy.<\/p>\n \u00a0I see what happened to two of Jesus’ disciples in Mark 9:35-37<\/em><\/strong><\/span>,\u00a0 “James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, *came up to Jesus, saying to Him, ‘Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.’<\/span>\u00a0<\/sup>And He said to them, ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0They said to Him, ‘Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.’\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n They were asking, What about me?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n What about me?<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>seems to be built into the fabric of our hearts.<\/span><\/p>\n What I want to say is what John the Baptist said, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30 <\/strong>NASB)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n What about me?<\/span><\/strong> is such a restricting, narrowing view. It limits the world and chokes my joy.<\/p>\n It’s You Lord!<\/strong>\u00a0changes the game from introspection on my little kingdom, into full hope upon the glorious kingdom of God, waiting to explode into eternal ecstasy. [1]<\/span> \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n What about me?<\/span><\/strong> requires control and strain to produce circumstances which I hope will maintain my<\/strong> happiness. It puts me<\/strong> where God should be and steals any moments of abiding in His gladness.<\/p>\n It’s You Lord!<\/strong> releases care and trusts in a loving God, who is at work in a greater story of making me more like Jesus. [2]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n What about me?<\/span><\/strong> longs for the love and approval of others. It produces competitiveness, envy and continual effort to be liked and admired by others.<\/p>\n It’s You Lord!<\/strong> produces gratitude and praise, which keeps me peaceful under the yolk of Jesus’ gentle and humble heart. [3]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n I desire this change in my heart, the transformation of John the Baptist, more than anything I can think of. But, I know this kind of work is not a self study class. If I’m to move from What about me? <\/span><\/strong>to It’s You Lord! <\/strong><\/span>it requires the Lord, not me. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Lord, show me in Your word and empower me by Your Spirit to be less about me and more about You.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n During our family vacation last year, I was walking on the beach talking with my bride about some deep spiritual matters. This was a convergence of three of our very favorite things to do together: be at the beach, walk, and talk about spiritual things.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As we walked, she said, “We all have swiss cheese hearts.”<\/span><\/p>\n This was a striking image as I pictured it and I’ve thought about it a lot since then. Certainly, God has created our hearts with a void only He can fill. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Examining my own heart, I’ve identified five major holes which I’ve historically tried to fill myself. I know, with Solomon, that trying to fill my eternal holes with anything of this world is vanity of vanities. [4] Yet, I scream <\/span>What about me? <\/span><\/strong>as I try and plug these holes myself.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Perhaps others can relate.<\/span><\/p>\n In my heart, I see a deep longing to be admired. When people, especially those important to me, make me feel disliked or even hated,\u00a0 What about me? <\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span>screams out. The “desired to be admired hole<\/em>” aches with a painful feeling of being unloved.<\/span><\/p>\n It’s You Lord! <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0points me to the amazing love God has for me, as revealed in His word and in His actions. Though there are many scriptures about God’s incomprehensible love for us, [5] I’ll focus on what Jesus told His disciples the night before He died, “Just as the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you; remain in My love.” (John 15:9)<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n The eternal love of God is the only thing which can fill my hole to be admired<\/em>. Expecting this kind of love from others is toxic. It not only binds me to the approval of men, but produces a self-serving love for others, which is not sincere.<\/span><\/p>\n Ugh. This is really bad\u00a0 When What about me? <\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span>comes to mind about not being admired, I determine to saturated my heart to overflowing with God’s perfect love.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0It’s You Lord! <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Lord, You love me with a love I’ll never fully grasp, which fills my heart to overflowing. P<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>lease remind me of this when people are mean to me and act hateful.<\/em><\/p>\nHe Must Increase, but I Must Decrease.<\/span><\/h3>\n
The Need to Be Admired<\/span><\/h4>\n