Culture of Me

Philippians 2 (The Message) 

1-4  If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.

In April Rob Bell teaching pastor of Mars Hill Bible church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, preached a message from the scripture you just read.  They have been studying the book of Philippians for a while and I’ve been faithfully listening to them via the Internet.  These messages have been life convicting for me and I’m certainly learning some new insights into the life of Paul, the early church, and how those experiences are still applicable to my life today.

In fact for the past six weeks I’ve been unable to get this particular sermon out of my mind.  One of the many ideas or thoughts Rob talked about, which has grabbed me, is “The Culture of Individualism.”  One of the things he said during the sermon was “It’s unbelieveable how our culture worships at the altar of the individual.”  One only has to look as far as the sports industry to understand how true this statement is.  And if you don’t think the sports industry has an impact on shaping the culture of individualism, then listen to his sermon and see how it has shaped his boys, or read my friends blog from Wednesday and see how it is shaping his boys.

Rob goes on to say, ”Our culture suffers from a particular disease, or the disease of individualism,” which he then said could be articulated in this way.  “The elevating of the one at the expense of the whole.  We are immersed in a particular worldview that says it’s all about you.  It’s your rights, your compensation, your respect.”

These thoughts and concepts have stopped me in my tracks over the past few weeks and I’m actually struggling with it, so here’s a big thanks to Rob for kicking me right where it hurts.  Pausing for a moment and rereading the scripture from above, I have to ask myself the question, has Christ’s love made a difference in my life?  Am I in a community of (or with) the spirit and does that really mean anything to me?  Or have I been infected with this disease of individualism and is the worldview that is shaping me and my family all about our rights, our compensation and our respect?

I do feel like I have a heart and I certainly do care.  Some who know me can certainly give lip service to my passion, but I think sometimes my passion gets me into trouble and causes others to not fully understand who I really am.  I also think my family and friends have been working extremely hard to build a community of service toward the outcast and marginalized.  You can’t listen to Rob Bell and not follow in that direction, but for some reason I can’t help feeling like the “culture of me” continues to get in the way of what God truly wants to do among us.

So, what is it that God is wanting to do among us?  Pause again and reread the passage of scripture.  Do you think maybe He’s wanting us to “Agree with each other, love each other, and be deep-spirited friends. Not pushing my to the front; not sweet-talking my way to the top.  Put myself aside, and helping others get ahead.  I have to stop being obsessed with getting my own advantage or feeling like I need more and more. And I definitely need to forget myself long enough to lend a helping hand.” 

This is such an incredible passage of scripture, and keep in mind it was written from a prison cell.  Imagine a world where we as “the church” would start agreeing with each other, loving each other and becoming deep-spirited friends.   Do you think as a deep-spirited friend, you’d be able to recognize or maybe even feel it when your friend is hurting?  Would you also hurt in some way?  Would the church hurt for a starving world if we were all united as deep-spirited friends?

Is it possible for us as “the church” to stop pushing our way to the front of political lines, whether it’s the right side or the left, or to stop pushing our way to the front of what’s right and wrong regarding homosexuality and abortion, and for once just love people.  Why do we always have to be so critical, so judgmental, and so hypocritical.  For once, can we stop sweet talking the “lost” and the “sinners” into the church and actually love people into the church, and by into the church, I don’t mean so we can have bigger attendance rolls, more services, or even bigger buildings.  I’m talking about the church where everyone is taken care of, no one is suffering from diseases that could be simply corrected with clean water, proper nutrition, and sanitary and clean places to live and sleep.

I’m kind of fed up and sick with my lack of willingness to help those who are in need, my inability to just love, and the constant bad mouthing of those who are supposed to be Christians.  I’m ready for “the church”…(and that means me)…TO BE THE CHURCH and I’m confident it needs to start right now with me.  I believe God has allowed me to struggle with this over the past few weeks, so I can finally get the picture.  I’m ready to put myself aside, stop being so selfish and materialistic, and start helping others get ahead.  I don’t want to be so obsessed with getting my own advantage or way all the time, and I just wish I could forget myself long enough to lend a helping hand.

I know in my heart we are doing some pretty good things right now to help others, but I pray God will allow me to always feel like I’m not doing enough or like there is so much more to do.  I don’t ever want to feel content, satisfied, or comfortable ever again.  I pray he continues to stretch me, shape me, and realign my thoughts, feelings, and attitudes towards the less fortunate, oppressed, marginalized, and outcasts in our society.  I pray that he’ll help me be responsible with the wealth and good fortune he has given me and I pray that we can continue to leave a legacy for the next generation that says HELP OTHERS!