It’s All About Us!

Pastor DaronCrossLife Blog

“It’s not about you.”

I’ve needed to say that, oh, a few thousand times in counseling and in raising children. Oh, and ten times that amount I’ve needed to say it to myself.

Hyper focus on me just makes things worse

Being consumed with my own ways, my own ideas, my own opinions, my own needs is playing into an ego that leaves itself open to the devil’s lie: 

“It’s supposed to be all about you.” 

That’s what Adam and Eve thought before eating the forbidden fruit. That’s what the priests and Levites thought when passing by the beaten, bloody man in the ditch. That’s what Samson thought when he bragged about his strength.

It’s all about Jesus

Yesterday a pastor friend and I were talking about the name CrossLife. A life that lets Jesus’ cross be the biggest thing. Pain and suffering, yes. Forgiveness, amen. The price for our sins fully paid, thank you. Understanding that we all need to live daily in repentance and denying ourselves, that too.

So we shared this verse to encourage each other, “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:14).

A hyper focus on anything but Jesus is asking for trouble. A hyper focus on Jesus ensures that everything else is in its right place. Everything. 

Jesus makes it all about us

Now, here’s something to think about. It’s not about us, but Jesus makes it about us. By his resurrection and then ascending into heaven, Jesus takes up full authority over everything in the universe and this world. Everything.

“And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church” (Ephesians 1:22).

Hold on. Did you see that?! 

God the Father has positioned all things—governments, the rich and powerful, viruses, poverty and hunger, abuse, guilt and sin, politics, the economy, unemployment, education, night, day, sun and moon—under Jesus’ feet. Like a conquering hero, Jesus stands on these with his foot on their neck so that they can’t hurt him or us.

“For the church.”

That’s us. All believers. 

One of my spiritual mentors told me, “We shouldn’t be afraid of being church-centric.” Jesus’ ascension means that he has full authority over everything for the sake of the church—all believers. Jesus makes everything all about us!

What should we do with that gift of grace? Let’s not boast in ourselves. Let’s not keep it to ourselves. Let’s share that gift with as many others as possible. 

Prayer 

It’s not about me, Jesus, I know that. Yet, you promise that you make everything about the Church. You rule over everything for sake of the Church. You use everything for the good of the Church. This is incredible! Give me and all believers faith, confidence, and the love to share everything with those who need you. Amen.

Further Meditation 

Which verse, the Galatians verse or the Ephesians verse, is most important for you today? Share your answer with a friend, and invite them to subscribe to this blog at http://crosslifepf.org/join-the-crosswords-mailing-list/