Reading Jesus: EGO & Treasures.
This EGO thing is real.
It amazes me the fight with my true self and false self. I would define my ego as my false self. It seems that the hurt and pain that I have caused any person has always stemmed from my ego or false self. I suspect that much of the pain I've felt has been a result of my ego. Perhaps it is the pain that has helped me build the defense structure called my ego. It's the defended part of me; the projection of what I call an illusion.
As I Read Jesus, I see one who was accussed and constantly bombarded with folks attempting to trap him. He was betrayed by a kiss from one of his closest friends; others denied that they knew him, and yet, he never attempted to defend himself. It seems that the only way he could do this was that he lived from his deepest nature and identity. As I reflect on his life, I realize that I am not much like him, though I claim that I attempt to follow him. I also realize that when I am living from my defended, ego-self-- my false self, I am not much like me either. Maybe the idea of "giving-up oneself" or "taking up one's cross", is perhaps dying to the false-self-- the ego.
Everything is this world lures me-- entices me to be defended; entices me to "store-up treasures", to build bigger barns to hold the possessions of my false-self. Following Jesus is scary, for it requires me to let loose-- to release my grip and to be released from all that grips me. Dying is a scary proposition, but according to jesus, it's the way to life. Maybe if I lose my life (my false, ego-self), I will find it.
"For where your tresure is, there your heart is also."
What do you treasure?
This is a question that I have to ask myself. Beneath the surface--the exterior, underneath it all, what do I truly tresure? That's where my heart is.
11 Comments:
Bro,
On a spiritual renewal weekend that I went on a long time ago, the first talk was on Priorities. We were told to ask ourselves three questions:
1) What do I think about?
2) How do I spend my time?
3) How do I spend my money?
The answer to those three questions quickly reveal what my true priorities are, as opposed to what I might say they are.
These three questions can just as easily reveal where my treasure is... and where my heart is. The answers to these questions are the false idols that I, who claims to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, have chosen to worship.
As always, what I do is always so much more revealing than what I say. It is a painful realization, but a necessary one.
Rick, I've always viewed "picking up my cross" in terms of seeing myself for what I am, admitting to myself my need of Him. That's not all that apart from what you state here. Ego...always the battle with our ego.
In my contemplative prayer group, we read and discuss a selected book. So far, most of those books have mentioned the false self.
In our discussions, they've even gone so far as to separate ego from the false self, saying we need the ego to survive.
But what it boils down to, to me, is that analyzing this too much can quickly become just another way to be self-involved.
Diminishing the false self seems to come more from forgetting of the self, and focusing on God with all our trust~ not ruminating on how we keep falling short of perfection.
...Not that I've conquered the false self in me.... Someone said there is a quote around that goes, "the false self is that thing that leaves you 20 minutes after you die!"
thanks for the comments.
Hump, my friend, always glad to see you here.
Jim, thanks for sharing your thoughts and taking the time to reflect.
Christine, hey girl! Glad to see your comments. I see where you are coming from... I guess we do need ego, and I do blur the lines between false self and ego. I guess when i live from my ego... I am living my false self.
Thanks,
Rick
Hi Rick,
We are all on the road of transformation into the holiness so that we can approach God. For without holiness we cannot be a part of who he is. Jesus paved the way, he is the ONE, that gave his life, so that we could live. We are to follow, we have to give up our rights as he did. I don't think we can ever really understand what he gave up, what he did. Our minds are too finite. But I accept it, as awesome as it is. Glorious one! Light of the world?! All that to say, I am on a journey with him, a difficult journey, but he always said "in this world you WILL have troubles, but take heart, I have OVER COME the world. That is our Hope, He is the ultimate relationship that every human seeks: everlasting love, willing to die for you, never will He leave you or forsake you. There is NO love like his, we search for it in our husbands, wives, parents, children friends, and sometimes we come close...but never enter in always disapointed...He is the ONLY one. Ephesians 1:4 "Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love." How can we possibly understand the creater of the you and me and the universe! setting us as the "apple of his eye." We can't. The world screams otherwise: You have to earn it! Praise God, he is our great reward. Surrender, Obey and live in Faith. That is our duty. Jesus deserves our execellence. The very best that we can give, because that is what he gave unto death. Praise his Holy name.
I read a story today in Guideposts about the unbelievably poor of Zimbabwe in Africa. It brought tears to my eyes. I consider myself among the lower middle class of this country yet I am fabulously wealthy by comparison. I suggest we need to think more about how to "do unto the least of these, my brethren," so we may remain in constant service to Christ who lives in each of these poor to give us an opportunity to show what we are willing to do with what has been given on loan to us.
Give to your local food pantry, regularly.
Give to the Freewheelchairmission to help those without legs, regularly.
Go to homestheplace.com or hillsboropresbyterian.org and give regularly.
Let there be peace and plenty on Earth and let it begin with us.
Namaste.
matt
Rick--I'm not going to say anything that other people here have not already espoused. I think the key is making God the focus of life. The more I think about me, my issues, my future, my problems, my sin, the more I'm stuck there. Likewise, the more I focus on Jesus, the more I'm released from those entanglements.
I appreciate the reminder to store up our treasures in heaven (where moth and rust do not destroy and thieves do not break in and steal). Bless you!
Rick--I'm not going to say anything that other people here have not already espoused. I think the key is making God the focus of life. The more I think about me, my issues, my future, my problems, my sin, the more I'm stuck there. Likewise, the more I focus on Jesus, the more I'm released from those entanglements.
I appreciate the reminder to store up our treasures in heaven (where moth and rust do not destroy and thieves do not break in and steal). Bless you!
Every day I treasure different things, but the consistent thread is usually around God, wife, sons, church, and the world... in that order.
I know this is not going to sit favorably with those that consider themselves to be Christians.
Tony Miles got it right when he said that "the consistent thread is usually around God, wife, sons, church, and the world... in that order."
I notice that he gave credit to God, not Jesus. This is exactly how Jesus wants it. Those who accept Jesus as the savior are playing the ego's game. The only way to the Father is to become the God love, the Christ, by our thoughts and actions. There is only one way to do that and that is to have the spiritual courage to stop thinking about our needs, and think about everyone else before ourselves.
I don't have the real commitment courage to do that all the time as of yet, but God gives us all the time we need if we are at leastpartially on that path.
Jesus is my elder brother who had the courage to never think about his own needs, because he trusted in God completely and knew that without any negative thoughts putting blocks up in our lives, life automatically brings us everything we need, not want.
To clarify, when I say God I mean the Triune God... Father/Son/Spirit as equal. Sorry if you didn't catch what I meant but according to the Bible there is no other option.
Sometimes we miss things, though.
Case in point, my name is spelled with a "y" and not and "i," but obviously you missed that.
Which is evidence that sometimes we miss things, right?
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