The Bear Necessities

 

“Anyone can smile for a photo,

but who is still smiling after the selfie?”  Ken Poirot 

Apparently, humans aren't the only species that take selfies. A wildlife camera in Boulder, Colorado, snapped hundreds of images of a curious black bear last November. The city’s Open Space and Mountain Parks Department set up nine cameras to learn about local wildlife. One of the cameras captured 580 images, about 400 of them were of the same bear. 

  A spokesperson for the Department stated, “These pictures made us laugh, and we thought others would too.” It seems that the bear discovered one of the cameras. Most animals don’t notice them, which are activated by an animal stepping in front of them. They capture animals like deer, beavers, and less curious black bears going about their business. But this bear was enthralled by the camera, posing for some 400 “selfies.”

  That obsessed focus might work out for a bear, but it’s probably not so great for human beings. Studies show that on average, people spend 60% of conversations talking about themselves. That figure jumps to 80% when communicating via social media platforms like Facebook or TikTok.

  God did not design us to be self-focused, even in our own thoughts. The first thing that God declared was not good was for human beings to be alone (Genesis 2:18). We were designed for relationships and community.

  If you’ve just emerged from a life isolated in Antarctica, selfies are those pictures individuals take of themselves with or without a duck face. For some odd reason, the “bathroom” selfie is one of the more popular forms.  And while selfie pictures can be fun and an opportunity to share life and events, selfie thinking can be disastrous. Why?

  Selfie thinking tends to make pain bigger. Ours is a sin-contaminated world and sin is painful. Each one of us is affected by this pain. It can be physical pain, the pain, and strain of relationships, or even mental and emotional pain. The list is endless. Just watch the evening news and the majority of the stories are about someone or some group’s pain.

  As a selfie increases the size and focuses on the individual, self-focus only increases pain. When we spend an inordinate amount of time and energy thinking about ourselves, how we’re suffering, what’s wrong in our life, the pain we’re experiencing, or things we feel we did wrong, it amplifies our pain. It can trap us in a vicious cycle of overthinking and blowing pain out of proportion. It’s a major contributor to depression and anxiety, drains our time and spirit, and leads to unhealthy coping strategies.

  Selfie thinking feeds our pride. Pride blinds us to our own sin. It’s difficult to accept that it’s us and our problem because we’re too proud to accept that we’ve sinned and have issues because we’re consumed with ourselves. Someone said, “pride is the only disease that makes everyone sick but the one who has it.” Pride feeds a sense of self-importance.

  Imagine visiting Niagara Falls with a friend. You’re both viewing one of the most awe-inspiring natural scenes in America, but then you realize your friend is only taking selfies. A hundred pictures later, and your friend is the picture in every single shot. Who wants to see Niagara Falls when your friend is only taking selfies without even the Falls in the background?

  Social media has given everyone a platform to post their opinions. Usually, the one posting assumes their opinion is a fact, after all, it’s their opinion. Yet, a fact is a statement proven to be true or false by data or evidence. Most opinions are based on emotions, personal history, and values—all of which can be completely unsupported by real evidence. It’s like being blind and not knowing it. Leonardo da Vinci wisely observed, “The greatest deception men suffer is their own opinions.”

  The Christian life is anti-selfie thinking. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). Denying your self is not thinking harshly of your “self” or hating your “self.” It is just not thinking or focusing on yourself.

  It’s this simple, if you’re living for self, you’re not following Jesus. “No one can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24). The word “deny” is the same word used of Peter’s denials. It means to repudiate, renounce, or disown. Jesus wasn’t talking about denying yourself little pleasures, like giving up dessert. He’s talking about a complete way of life involving a renunciation of living for your own selfish interests and embracing living for the sake of Christ. Denying self and taking up one’s cross are foundational for a life of following of Jesus. It means surrendering the right to control your life and giving that right to the Lord Jesus.  

  To American ears, self-denial sounds so negative, but remember that it was Jesus who said this. In the short term, self-denial is difficult and not very pleasant. But there is joy and peace in the present from it and eternal blessings in the future when a Christian follows Jesus on the path of the cross. In Luke 9:24 Jesus said, “For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.” When you die to self and follow Jesus, He graciously gives you the ultimate in fulfillment as the by-product—the joy of eternal life and of being affirmed by Jesus before the Father when He comes in glory (9:26)!

  In the movie Chariots of Fire, Scottish runner, Eric Liddell competed in the 1924 Olympics in Paris but Liddell refused to run on a Sunday. After his gold medal in the 400-meter race, he didn’t return to Scotland to have his picture on a box of Wheaties or to live off his endorsements. Eric accepted God’s call to serve as a missionary in China. During the Japanese invasion, Liddell was arrested with other Chinese Christians and placed in a prison camp. Even in the camp, Liddell led others to Christ and discipled them. Months before China was liberated, Eric Liddell died as a prisoner in that camp. At the young age of forty-three, he met his Master face to face. His last words were, “it’s complete surrender,” referring to how he’d given his life to serve the Lord. He’d run another kind of race, for another kind of prize and he received another kind of medal, more priceless than gold and that never perishes.

  Jesus doesn’t call most of us to be missionaries in a faraway land, yet He calls all of us to deny ourselves and follow Him. Selfie thinking is miserable. True fulfillment comes from following Christ. So please feel free to take fun pictures, even selfies, yet make the Lord Jesus the primary picture in your heart and seek to live for Him!

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

 

 

The cost of taking up your cross...

“Riches are not an end of life, but an instrument of life.”

               Henry Ward Beecher

  I’ve been thinking about money a lot lately. Okay, I think about money a lot – period, but probably a little more lately. Now don’t rat me out…after all, I’m a Pastor and am not supposed to think about such worldly matters…and if you believe that….

  Some of my friends will ask about our proposed building plans. I’m quick to quip, “Got a million dollars lying around some where?”  

  As I was thinking back over my life, I’ve never been someone who wanted or needed to have lots of money. Yet, one of the biggest struggles in my life with money though was walking away from making money. Maybe it plugs into some male ego thing of needing to win or conqueror.

  There have been two major decision hurdles that I’ve had to cross that were very, very difficult for me. They were truly repentance moments where I turned from heading one direction and start heading in the opposite direction. They were Matthew 16:24 moments for me. There Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Taking up your cross is a one way trip. It’s the death to self, your own agenda, drives, and wishes.

  That first “take up your cross” moment was when I was fifteen and I gave up drinking. Even at that age, I’d already become a very heavy drinker and had a reputation as my high school’s drunk. I’ll never forget pouring out a half gallon of Bacardi as parts of me screamed that I needed and that I couldn’t give up…but I did. It was a life changing “take up your cross” moment.

  The other “take up your cross” moment was a few years after I’d graduated from Bible College with a degree in Pastoral studies. I’d served at a church in Central Illinois as their assistant pastor. Then, Jane and I had returned with our little family to the Detroit area with plans of planting a new church in Ann Arbor. I’d worked my way through college working for a commercial roofing company. After graduating, I’d returned to that field but this time selling roofing. God had blessed and I’d been very successful.

  When a company offered me an opportunity to launch an office for them in the Detroit area, I jumped at it. Again, God blessed and I was able to break all records for sales for a new office, selling something like $1.25 million that year and winning “Salesman of the Year.” Unfortunately, in my youthful naïveté, I failed to get a contract. The owner of the company reneged on his promise for my commission and I was out my commission. But the Lord used it because I really, really enjoyed selling and making money. That’s when I faced another “take up your cross” moment. I had to choose whether I wanted to stay in the ministry or pursue a career in sales. At that point, I could have gone anywhere in the country with another roofing company. The company I’d worked for had a reputation for their record year which I was a major part of. It would have been easy to have found another position. A couple of roofing companies contacted me. One, even after I’d been pastoring our church for a few years, to see if I’d consider going back into roofing. 

  Please understand – there is nothing wrong with money. Money is merely a means of exchange. It’s our attitude toward money that’s either good or bad; godly or ungodly. There are several common attitudes toward money.

  Some despise money and the making of money. Yet, they have to survive and so they’re usually dependent on others to supply the hated “exchange” they need to survive. They also violate God’s will and command that we’re to use the gifts that He’s entrusted to us as a stewardship. We’re to be creative (Genesis 1:28). That’s why working and creating is so fulfilling. It’s how God designed us. Work isn’t part of the curse. Those who won’t work and aren’t creative are often some of the most miserable individuals on earth. They’re not fulfilling their God-ordained design and purpose.

  Some love to spend money. They’re consumed by consumerism and materialism. They live for bigger, better, brighter believing it will somehow bring meaning, fulfillment and satisfaction to their lives. It never will. Instead it succumbs to idolatry and they’ve fulfilled the tragedy of Romans 1:25, “they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator.”

  Some love to save money. Obviously, there’s nothing wrong with saving money. Saving money only becomes an issue when we hoard it and neglect Kingdom opportunities. We have a responsibility to use our money for our Lord (it’s all His after all). We are also to use our money to minister to the poor, particularly those who are fellow believers (1 John 3:17).

  Some love to make money. Some are just gifted at working, being creative or making the right investments. They know how to take a little bit of capital and make it grow, often exponentially. The Bible commends them for their wise money usage (Matthew 25:14-23). There’s nothing wrong with being wealthy. Some of the godliest individuals in the Bible were also some of the richest – Abraham, Job, Lydia – to name a few.

  Some love to give money. God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7). Our generosity has profound potential to bring God glory. Miserliness, on the other hand, sours the effects of the gospel in our lives and others. Each of us, in assessing our own level of generosity or stinginess though needs to ask some vital questions:

·        Does my generosity lead others to give thanks to God for His glory?

·        Does my lifestyle generosity obedience to the gospel and is it for to the glory of God?

·        Do I really believe God will reward me for my generosity?

  We must all heed the warning found in Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

  We are so blessed that we worship a God who gives freely and lavishly. So do we resemble our Heavenly Father? Is this kind of giving reflected in our checkbooks? Does our lifestyle keep the free flow of grace going to the glory of God? The Father gave His Son for us. Will we clench His grace tightly or let it flow freely through us toward His work? Let me encourage you to let the “treasure” God has entrusted with you to slip through your fingers into ministry and let God get all the glory.