Your Own Little Universe

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 22:8, All of you have conspired against me, and there is no one who reveals to me that my son has made a covenant with the son of Jesse; and there is not one of you who is sorry for me or reveals to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as it is this day.”

Here is a place where any one of us can find ourselves in. It is the place of “me, me, me”. It is that selfish place better known as “your own little universe”. This is the place where we believe that everything that happens around us revolves around us. This is what King Saul suffered from. We, as believers and followers of Jesus Christ, should live in a place that is just the opposite of this. As God’s children we are called to put Christ and others first. We must realize first and foremost that this life is about Jesus and our service to, and life for, Him. Our goal should be that others see more and more of Jesus, and less and less of us; thereby being like John the Baptist who said “He must increase, and I must decrease”, in John 3:30. When we make this life about us and how we are affected by what others do, we become the victim of every situation, even though it may not directly affect us. We begin to formulate stories and make false accusations so that others will feel sorry for us and allow us to have our way. When we put ourselves before others, in order to “be happy”, all we will find is misery. Why, you ask? Well, because we then begin to point out all the things that people do to “me”, even though it may not be directed at “me”. “Me” becomes the center of the universe we live in, and that is a most miserable place to be because we never learn to be content with whatever state God allows us to be in (Philippians 4:11-13). Even Jesus Himself, being God, did not make Himself the center of His universe, and I need not remind us that He is both Creator and Owner of the universe. In Matthew 20:27-28 Jesus said, “And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” In Mark 9:35 Jesus said to the twelve disciples, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” Saul became so self-absorbed that he began to make false accusations against his own son, accusing him of conspiring with David against him. This could not have been further from the truth. Rather than being overly concerned about self, we would find greater satisfaction with serving, and doing for, others. In Philippians 2:3-4 the Apostle Paul wrote, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” The greatest danger we face in becoming self-centered is the danger of becoming ungrateful. If we have called upon, and know, Jesus as our personal Savior and Lord, then we are already blessed beyond what we deserve. Anything beyond that is “icing on the cake”. Yet, when our life is lived “all about us”, we become discontented and disgruntled because God is not some genie who is obligated to give us everything we want; neither is He obligated to shield us from every trial or troubling circumstance we might face, just because we are Christians. On the contrary, He wants us to see the trials as a blessing and a benefit (1 Peter 1:6-9). If we find ourselves being affected by the “woe is me” syndrome, the best cure is to start looking outward toward others by first surrendering our life and service to Jesus, and then letting Him guide us to those He wants to use us to be a blessing to.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).