Being Selfless in a Selfie Generation

Long gone are the days when we used our cameras to take pictures of our family and friends. I never asked someone to take a picture of me all alone. It was always me with my friends or me with my boy friend and later, my husband and family. Selfies didn’t exist then and cameras were too large and awkward to hold steady while taking a photo of ourself. My phone is too awkward to hold steady for me to take a selfie – so no fear – you won’t be seeing this gal – up close and personal!

How times have changed! Selfies have changed the way many people take photographs. We used the "selfie" opportunity to get all of us in the photo when we didn't have an outsider to take the photo for us at our retreat on Saturday. My children have used it to get all of us in the photo for the same reason. Sometimes we just need to be US focused. But the true "selfie" is about me taking photos of ME! One celebrity said she takes 500 selfies before finding one she likes enough to post. Another article said the average teen takes 12 minutes per selfie, from preparing the shot to editing it. It really is a "ME" generation!

How is it that God gave us so many examples in the Bible so many years ago that are so relevant to our lives in this social media, high-tech world today? St. Paul wrote this: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit”. (Philippians 2:3)

Honestly, I am writing this blog today – not because of a selfie issue, but I like to stay in tune with the Holy Spirit enough to know when I’m letting pride sneak into my life. Pride is an enemy of our souls. I feel that gentle nudge when I’m overthinking what I’m going to wear for this or that occasion. Or if I had to have the last word in a conversation. Or, yes, I may be a guilty of over-checking my social media posts for "likes" or "loves". All these admitted issues certainly feed the pride in my life. I sense it and I have to repent when I’ve fallen prey to those snares of the enemy. I didn’t finish the Philippians 2:3 scripture above – the second part says “rather, in humility, value others above yourselves.” Did Paul know what we would be doing in this day and time? It sure sounds like it, doesn’t it?, He’s telling us to be more interested in focusing on valuing others.

“Humility isn’t thinking less of ourselves. It’s thinking of ourselves less.” The more we put the spotlight on others, the happier and more fulfilled we'll become. Maybe instead of selfies, we should turn outward to others and smile, not for a selfie, but so others who need to be valued, could sure use that smile today!

Because You Deserve to Be Happy

That was the “subject” on my email from Ulta yesterday morning. It jumped out at me. That word, “deserve”, says it all. We live in a self-gratification, self-centered, self-entitlement, and selfie world. I get it! We all want to be happy. Isn’t that the greatest goal in life? I loved Bobby Ferrin’s upbeat, reggae song, “Don’t Worry. Be Happy”. It motivated us to "Be Happy!"

We are hardwired to pursue happiness, so we pursue it, after all, as Ulta’s advertising campaign says: We deserve it!” We don’t have to look far to hear prominent cultural voices, sing and speak about how much they "deserve" their rights, their happiness, and their pleasure. "We’re all about feeling good; We’re all going to die so let’s live it up without regard to morality, being respectful of others or what the consequences of our actions might be. As long as we’re happy – that’s all that matters."

Yesterday morning, my daughter and I were having one of our phone pep talks. We need to record some of those talks because I think we could solve many of the world’s problems if the world would listen to us. We discussed the lack of morality in our world because the world thinks “I deserve happiness, at all costs!” We also talked about how well we sleep at night because of a clear conscience and how happy we are to wake up to freedom from regret of what we did yesterday.

The simple truth is: God REALLY does want His kids to be happy, just like you and I want our children to be happy. God made pleasure because He wants us to be happy. He doesn’t want us shivering in a dark corner, frightened, sad and miserable. He sincerely wants happiness in our lives and He wants to flood our days with a joy that the world can’t even begin to know or take away. This is the God of the Bible. And, no matter what you’ve heard, He’s a joyful and happy God Himself, and He loves nothing more than to make those of us who are chasing happiness to be happy.

This may sound ultra-spiritual but at the heart of Christianity, is the key to happiness. It is happiness through holiness. I can hear some saying now, “There goes Donna giving us the “Jesus Talk” again’. But, I promise you, the way to be happy is found in simple obedience to God and faith in His Son. King David said to God with evident delight AND happiness: "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence, there is the fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11

It may appear that being a devoted follower of Christ means we’re floating two inches off the ground if we’re living obediently to His words. But God is infinitely happy Himself and we were made in His image, so “happy” should be our way of life; not because we “deserved it”, but because we are God’s kids so it is a part of our DNA. We can’t help ourselves. It’s because of Whose we are. Obedience to our Father is what makes us happy. Pursuing Him is what brings us freedom and joy.

This way of life allows us to enjoy the world as it is. The gift of physical enjoyment and pleasure comes from Him, not an inebriated version of ourselves or an X-rated movie or one-night-stand. The ability to realize that it’s not that we DESERVE happiness, it’s that our loving and holy Father God created happiness for us. Our hunger for happiness and pleasure are God-given instincts and when placed in the right order, as the children of our King, we never need to worry because we are on the receiving end of an abundance of His unmerited favor.

Inner Beauty AND Being a Masterpiece

Yesterday, in my post, I talked about divine set-ups. I like to think that God is always setting us up for divine appointments. Knowing that, we should be keeping our eyes, ears and hearts open to the possibility of those times. He sure has a way of surprising me in the middle of a routine day, with another "aha" moment. My post included the topic of "inner beauty". Then, when I looked at my Facebook "On This Day" posting from years before on my timeline, I had one of those "aha" moments because it confirmed the discussion of "inner beauty".

How appropriate for me to see that post on this day. Here's why! Have you ever started to take a photo with your cell phone and you accidentally pushed "selfie" mode and it flipped around and you got the "up close and personal" view of yourself? Whoa! I did! Who was that ole' gal looking back at me? It couldn't have been me. After all, I dolled this girl up this morning and when I looked in the mirror, it revealed only a "slightly mature" woman, but that selfie was MY mother!!! Okay, God, I get it. You wanted me to see this post because it talked about being YOUR masterpiece. It went like this:

This world will always try to make us think “we're too young or too old; not pretty enough or handsome enough; not rich enough; not thin enough; not talented enough; not smart enough!!: It's time for us to STOP listening to what the world thinks and says. There is only one voice that truly speaks truth, and that ONE is the voice of our Creator Who made us on purpose and in His image.

And He says: "You are my MASTERPIECE -- and I made you JUST RIGHT -- right for the special purposes only you can fulfill! You ARE exactly who I made you to BE! Don't look for the approval of others. I approve you, and that’s all that matters! When you look in the mirror...look at the BEAUTY I made you to be! Now, go make your Dad proud as you take your BEAUTY and make a difference in this world!!"
"You are so beautiful to Me!" -- Love, God

I like to think that when He shows up, it's up to me to give Him the recognition and the honor for the inspiration. So, today, I do, and I thank You, Father, for reminding me that I AM beautiful....inside AND out!

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the LORD will be greatly praised." Proverbs 31:30