Teach Less for More #2

OK, I've been trying to sit down and think about if I were to only teach a few things over and over, what would I teach.

I've come to believe in the principle that if you want to really communicate to people, rather than trying to communicate more things, we should actually try to communicate less, more important things, over and over.  Doing this helps people cut through the confusion so many people have about their faith.  So I'm not putting these things in any particular order.  (It's hard enough to boil the spiritual life down to just a few things, let alone prioritize them).

The first one I thought of is this: True discipleship starts with getting over yourself.  I believe the Bible teaches us that that heart of sin in self-focus.  Pride comes when I have an inflated view of myself.  I lie when I'm trying to manipulate people into doing something I want them to do.  I get angry and bitter when someone doesn't give me what I want.

So when it comes to spiritual growth--what we call discipleship--the whole point is simply to get over myself.  I think the flagship verse for this is in Philippians 2: 

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

   ⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
   ⁶ Who, being in very nature God,
   did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
⁷ rather, he made himself nothing
   by taking the very nature of a servant...

What Paul says we should imitate about Jesus is the "emptying."  Jesus had every right to claim all the accolades and privileges that go along with being God and yet instead He gave up all those things and chose to serve.  What does it mean to be a "good Christian?"  Get over yourself!  That's it.

What about Bible knowledge?  It's only good insofar as it shows me Jesus.  When I understand Jesus, I'll understand that I'm not the center of the universe and Jesus freed me from the need I have to how people how great I am.

What about going to church?  Church is a great place for me to learn to give myself up.  The church isn't just there for me.  The body of Christ exists for the world and when the church is willing to give itself up for the world, that's when we look like Jesus.

What about staying away from sin?  Sin is our attempt to focus our lives on ourselves, rather than on God.  When we let go of this need and focus on God, our lives are moving in the right direction.

This principle plays itself out in many areas of life.  What do it mean to get over myself in my marriage?  What about at work?  What about as a parent?  In my church?  On the basketball court?  The point at which I begin to grow spiritually is the point at which I let go of myself as the center of my universe.  Until I'm willing to do that, I can never be more than what I am right now.