For my part, I am going to boast about nothing but the Cross of our Master, Jesus Christ. Because of that Cross, I have been crucified in relation to the world, set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little patterns that they dictate. Can't you see the central issue in all this? It is not what you and I do—submit to circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what God is doing, and he is creating something totally new, a free life! All who walk by this standard are the true Israel of God—his chosen people. Peace and mercy on them!
I have a bad habit of only half listening. At its worst this is when someone is talking to me. My mind may be elsewhere, spawning a thought about something they said that has now taken my mind down a blind alley. But in general my half listening is when I am busy and others around me are talking. I'll hear bits and pieces of the conversation. Often meaningless snippets that my sub-conscious is try to piece together. Something will alert my interest and I will almost subconsciously find myself interrupting and adding my thoughts on the subject. Due to my only partial attention span I will probably get the wrong idea. A common response from my wife at this point would be "it's not always about you!"
Because in my mind it is always about me. Unlike a film where many characters play their part in a complex plot of lives interelated my life is all about me. I only see it through my eyes. I only experience it in my body. I only feel it in my emotions. It's ALL about me. How many of us have had that childhood thought "what if this is all a dream and I'm the only real one in this?". That's because the most real and best understood experience in this life is my own.
But in fact while my flesh my feel this way it's not all about me. As we come to Christ a progressive shift in our focus needs to occur. Being saved isn't about me. God isn't here to personally serve my wants and whims. "He isn't your sugar daddy" as my Pastor would say.
Paul knew this. The Message puts it well when it says "Can't you see the central issue in all this? It's not what you or I do-submit to circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what God is doing and he is creating something totally knew, a free life!". So often my focus is on what I could, or should be doing. In doing so I overlook the marvellous thing God is doing. We sometimes talk about eyes of faith, or seeing others as God sees them. If we are to do this then we will have to stop looking through our own eyes. To die to self.
What a shift! To not make this life all about me. To be more concerned with God's plans and purposes than with my own dreams or aspirations. Maybe I'm only half listening to God's conversation. Busy doing my own giving partial attention to what he is saying and doing all around me. Only to interrupt and presume it was all about me. Time to listen fully to what God is saying and recognise "It's not always about me!"
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