In today’s psyche, happiness, as it pertains to me, not you, seems to be the measure of what is “good.” This is the Epicurean philosophy of twenty-one hundred years ago. The new ethic is therefore not godliness, or even goodness, but happiness. My happiness is the ultimate good. My happiness is the ultimate goal. The ultimate significance is therefore me. The ultimate god to be served is me.
I once listened to the Australian politician, Kevin Andrews, talk about his book on marriage. It was called, rather sadly, “Maybe I do.” When introducing his book to us, he said that a few decades ago, marriage was considered to be a morally good thing to do… and it was morally good to do all you could to make your marriage last. However, in recent years, this has now been overtaken by a new morality. Now the focus is not in doingthe right moral thing in marriage… Now the measure of all things is “does it make me happy?” It is now “me” focussed. Something is morally good if it makes me happy.
The term narcissism comes from the Greek myth of Narcissus, a young man who fell in love with his own reflection in a pool of water.
It’s important to note that narcissism is different from self-esteem. Narcissism is having a inflated and untrue image of yourself. Self-esteem is having a true image of yourself and knowing you worth.
People with self-esteem value personal achievement and personal relationships. Narcissists lack empathy and have poor relationship skills — therefore, don’t marry one (just a hint).
Professor Jean Twenge and Keith Campbell, have been investigating whether people born in more recent generations are more narcissistic than previous generations. It turns out that they are… and they have documented their findings in their book The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement.
Plastic surgery rates have increased, and there is a greater drive to be unique, to stand out rather than fit in. This is even evident in the names that people give their children.
Crucially, there is evidence that relationships are not as stable as they once were. More children are being born to unmarried couples and people don’t stay married for as long.
Hmmm…
And into the midst of this self-worship and self-obsession comes Jesus. He comes to wash the feet of his disciples and to die on a cross for us.
The difference between his attitude and that of the world today is monumental.
The question is: Which morality will you represent?
Some people are a bit unsure about God, and would rather blame God, rather than believe him. So, what can we say? Perhaps this:
- If God is distant and uninvolved with us, then blame God for being aloof. But if god has come to us to show us what he’s like—then trust God.
- If God is evil and is responsible for evil, blame God. But if God is good and has a plan to kill off evil—then trust God.
- If God is powerless to change the character of a person on the inside, then blame God from being irrelevant. But if God has given us his transforming Spirit—then trust God.
- If God has given us nothing to hope for beyond this life of suffering, blame God for being cruel. But if he has invited you to join his everlasting kingdom—then trust God.
- If God is simply a theory, just one of many world-views competing for your allegiance, ignore him for being too vague.But if he is real and has come to us in history—then trust God.
- If the idea of God has changed radically throughout history so that what is said about him is inconsistent, discard God for being confusing. But if the Bible has given a clear, consistent witness to God’s character and purpose over the years—then trust God.
- If God requires you to make yourself perfect enough to earn the right to be with him, then dismiss God for asking the impossible. But if he has died in your place to make it possible—then trust God… which I invite you to do.
