I am reading a book. Nothing new. I’m always reading books. Sometimes a title stands out. The last couple of weeks two books really stood, and stand out. Gregory Boyds’ ‘God of the possible’ and right now Alain de Botton’s ‘Status Anxiety’. It is an amazing book that really helps me better to understand where I’m coming from and how much I take for granted. Whether I like it or not, I am a product of Western Civilisation. And, while reading this book I am more and more ashamed and embarrassed. I want to apologise to the world: I am ignorant, I am a snob, I am arrogant and I have a big and a loud mouth. I thought I was different (slightly better than the other, not as Western as the other; I’m a Christian, remember….) but I have to repent. I am no different. Yet, I want to be different. So, how do I change.
“Ignorance is bliss”, the saying goes. It’s much better not to know stuff; avoid confrontation with reality and truth. For a healthy, reasonably intelligent western person this ‘blame it on my ignorance’ is an extremely lame excuse. Most people revel in their ignorance; living in their artificial bubbles and cocoons, with a preference for watching “Fear Factor” and “Big Brother”. The media helps us a lot in shutting ourselves off for our own “demons”. Perpetual entertainment numbs the reality.
Change Step One: WAKE UP. There is no excuse.
Change Step Two: LOWER YOURSELF.
The bible calls it “humbling yourself”. Stop comparing. Stop elevating your self. Stop pointing your finger at others. Stop criticising. Esteem others, especially those that you think are “less worthy” of you attention. People of other religion, the poor, the addicts, the HIV-positives. From the absolute lowest point everybody else is higher, more worthy. That’s what Jesus did. He humbled himself and gave himself for me while I was kicking Him in the face and cursed him. God, forgive me for feeling better that Jesus when I refuse to give to the poor, when I claim my right to “my well deserved time off”.
Help me to, just like you, just LOVE people. Not just a few, but ALL people. In Jesus name.
“Ignorance is bliss”, the saying goes. It’s much better not to know stuff; avoid confrontation with reality and truth. For a healthy, reasonably intelligent western person this ‘blame it on my ignorance’ is an extremely lame excuse. Most people revel in their ignorance; living in their artificial bubbles and cocoons, with a preference for watching “Fear Factor” and “Big Brother”. The media helps us a lot in shutting ourselves off for our own “demons”. Perpetual entertainment numbs the reality.
Change Step One: WAKE UP. There is no excuse.
Change Step Two: LOWER YOURSELF.
The bible calls it “humbling yourself”. Stop comparing. Stop elevating your self. Stop pointing your finger at others. Stop criticising. Esteem others, especially those that you think are “less worthy” of you attention. People of other religion, the poor, the addicts, the HIV-positives. From the absolute lowest point everybody else is higher, more worthy. That’s what Jesus did. He humbled himself and gave himself for me while I was kicking Him in the face and cursed him. God, forgive me for feeling better that Jesus when I refuse to give to the poor, when I claim my right to “my well deserved time off”.
Help me to, just like you, just LOVE people. Not just a few, but ALL people. In Jesus name.
No comments:
Post a Comment