Friday, August 25, 2006

Egoista

No theology this time. No epiphanies. No angels from on high, or burning bushes. Just a little State of the Jack Address.™

I’m selfish. Found that out just this summer. I’d known it before, but this was the Summer of Oh-Look-Jack’s-Got-Selfishness-Issues. For instance…

Every problem I had this summer was more or less directly a result of ME pursuing MY own goals in MY timing. Here we are, Thursday night and I’m thinking, “My, won’t it be nice to have a weekend without campers in my tipi…”

SELF.

Oops. Sorry about that. Oh junk, here comes that camper again… Really don’t want to do a one-on-one right now. Better get the rest of them together for the next activity.

SELF.

Ouch. And thus the summer spent itself. “Wouldn’t it be great if I got to lead that camper to the Lord…” SELF. “Wish I could keep my guys motivated and in line like he can.” SELF. “I don’t want to volunteer for extra work…” SELF. “I’m too tired for prayer meeting.” SELF.

Until, finally, drained and emotionally volatile, I looked up to heaven and said, “God, just once, I’d really like one of my problems to be someone else’s fault and not mine.”

SELF!

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”

Christ, and Christ alone.