Socrates said: Know yourself. Freud said: Be yourself. Jesus said: Give yourself. And at Easter He shows us what that looks like. “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mt. 20:28)
Knowing yourself is a valuable thing. How can address your need to grow as a person if you don’t know where to begin? Knowing yourself leads to confidence and self assurance.
Being yourself is a valuable thing. How can you find your way in this world if you are always pretending to be who you are not? Being yourself leads to finding your real place in this real world.
But giving yourself … living out of self giving love … is the only way to impact this world with muscular love. Because it’s not self focused but other focused. Its not about knowing myself or being myself. Imagine: its not about my self at all.
As Lent walks us toward Easter, our eyes come off our self and onto the One who gave himself for others. And we learn in new ways what the self giving love that changes the world really looks like.
It’s not that Socrates and Freud are wrong or have nothing meaningful to say. It’s just that they do not say enough. Only self giving love is enough. So think about it: who do you know that needs to be loved more than they need the advice of Socrates or the insight of Freud?
And we thought Christmas was the season of giving.
…just thinkling
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1 comment:
i like this. :)
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