Me, myself, and I

James is not the book to read if you want to feel complacent about yourself. He doesn't mince any words about selfish ambition and bitter jealousy. In our day when narcissism has risen to new heights, we need to be reminded that these things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic, because it's the heart of "You will be like God".

It's easy to point the finger elsewhere, but we're all infected by this disease of me, myself, and I. Even if your pond is the size of a bathtub, you want to be the big fish. And we see it every day -  little girls manipulating and vying to be queen bee of their play group, the self promotion of politics and entertainment, the petty power plays that tear down the church, even wanting recognition for writing such an insightful blog post.

So what is the antidote?

The wisdom of the world is all about personal advancement, but the Gospel frees us from wanting to build our own kingdoms to pursue the kingdom of God.  We are given wisdom from above that is the opposite from the world's. It is pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. We are changed from the inside out where God gives us a new life that is not driven by self-exaltation but finds its satisfaction in God-exaltation. If this is our identity, then we will be willing to be a nobody for the glory of God.  This identity will drive what we live for and what we die for.

(From my notes on this sermon by Pastor Ryan Davidson.)