CYPRESSWOOD CHRUCH OF CHRIST

March 13, 2005

CONTINUE TO LIFT UP IN PRAYER:

Our congregation                                                            Our college students

Our nation, military and leaders                                     Various friends, relatives and co-workers

David and Leon in the Navy and James in the Army      The Henderson’s are traveling 

Susan Oller is traveling as well                             

I FEEL SO GOOD

“For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:25).

We have all heard people saying that they want to find themselves.  Then they go out and try a variety of things seeking self.  Some try gaining wealth, others use drugs.  Some go to a far land to meet a guru who will give them spiritual insights, some seek power or fame.  They are seeking what has become known as self-esteem.  We even had a generation named the “me” generation.  Professor Roy Baumeister from Florida State led a research team that studied self-esteem with a sense of growing optimism.  His team thought that many personal and social problems could be solved.

Over the last thirty years self-esteem has become a major influence in various areas.  Surveys have shown that many of our students rank number one in self-esteem but last or near the bottom in academic scores.  They feel good while they do horrible.  Of course there is nothing new under the sun.  Jesus addressed this several times in the gospels.  People want to find life so that they can feel important and successful, but they look for it in all the wrong places.  Who defines success?  I remember watching an evening news show in which a Wall St. broker was followed to see how his day went.  He lived in a beautiful suburban home, married with children.  His day began around 4 am on the phone.  He was picked up around six and driven into New York City.  He spent his day wheeling and dealing and eventually returned home around 10 pm.  By societies standards, he was successful and fulfilled.  One thing we did not see in this interview was his family.  There was no time for them.  But he felt good about himself.

“People with high self-esteem think they make better impressions, have stronger friendship and have better romantic lives than other people, but the data don’t support their self flattering views,” says Baumeister.  What it does is make you think you are better than others which makes one worse.  This leads to elitists views of how things should be done because they know better.  It causes the highly self-esteem to look down on others as not as fulfilled and therefore ignorant.

Baumeister concludes: “After all these years, I’m sorry to say, my recommendation is this: Forget about self-esteem and concentrate more on self-control and self-discipline.”  We’ve heard that before, haven’t we?  It is something we do not see much in our public society.  Hollywood has great difficulty presenting it.  The sports world certainly doesn’t contribute much to self-control.  The abuses of drugs in baseball, the increasingly violent activities of football players on and off the field, the hockey player who was brought up on assault charges last year, and the basketball brawl recently all show a lack of self-control.  Professionals are those who feel good about themselves but otherwise contribute little to society. 

We known that the bookstores are full of books on self-esteem.  Many write to show that people can feel good about themselves.  Even in Christian bookstores, one can find shelves full of these types of books.  Jesus answer is clear.  If one wants to find life they need to lose life in Him.  How is that accomplished?

First, we worship God.  That is the recognition that He is the Ruler of the universe and in Him is life as Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).  We find life by looking at and living in Jesus Christ.  Second, we find life in humble service.  We give of ourselves to others.  Paul clearly identified this in these words: “Let each of you look not to your own interests but to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4, NRSV).  This is the mind of Christ (vs. 5).  Again, “Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others” (1 Corinthians 10:24).  Needless to say, this goes against the views of society.  It is not “what’s in for me?”  It is seeking what is best for others without thinking of getting anything in return.  Of course, we will be blessed by helping others because we are doing what we see Jesus doing, and in the end be blessed by that attitude. 

If you haven’t watch It’s A Wonderful Life lately, it might do us all good.  This is a movie not about self-esteem but service.  When George Bailey was at the end of his rope he wished that he was never born.  Clarence the angel granted that wish and he saw what his life really meant.  When he returned to normal, his situation didn’t change but his attitude did.  He saw that he had made a difference and that for him was enough.  But at the end of the movie, when all those he had affected had given to help him, his brother made the most important statement in the movie: “To George Bailey, the richest man in Bedford Falls.” 

Have you found yourself?  You might be loosing your life.  Have you lost yourself in Christ?  Then you will find life.  Do you feel good or bad about yourself?  Where are you looking?  Only in Jesus Christ will life be found.  What type of life will it be?  While many texts could be quoted, consider these.  “But they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they did not cling to life even in the face of death” (Revelation 12:11, NRSV).  “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on” (14:13, NIV). 

                                                                                                                       George B. Mearns

Some of the material above comes from an article by John Fischer entitled “Forget about Self-Esteem” (www.pfm.org  2/10/05).