- I didn’t see this coming, but the radical negation of the self that is so much at the heart of Christ and the Christian faith (“Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” Jn 12:25) is now taken by some biblically-minded Christian leaders to be unhealthy. I think what’s happened is the self-destructive nature of certain pathologies which lead to “cutting” and despair, and even suicide, have become conflated with Christian notions of self-denial and a person “hating his own life” (Luke 14:26).
- The problem is people who despise themselves are generally on target in their assessment of themselves. They tend to be the kind of people who see through their own vanity and self-delusion. What they need is not false words about how wonderful they are (which they never believe anyway), but real redemption, real restoration in Christ. The psychological band-aids that leaders want to place on their people don’t even come close to the kind of soul-surgery that is necessary for a person who sees things clearly.
- By the time the lost (prodigal) son is on his way home, he has come to see himself as he truly is: “I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants” (Luke 15:19). What he deserves is nothing and, in an entirely appropriate moment of humility, he sees the truth. It’s probably true that he despises himself in some sense, and yet it is psychologically the healthiest moment of his life.
- Only in despairing of ourselves entirely do we lay aside the massive idolatry of the self and behold God. And how does God respond in that moment? “The father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’” (Luke 15:22-24)
- Don’t let anyone tell you you’re worthy of this and that because you’re such a special person and deserve better than you’re getting. The fact is, you’ve sinned against heaven and those around you, and you are unworthy. But if you are capable of being that honest with yourself (and God) there is another truth you must affirm: that God places the best robe on your cold and weary shoulders, puts the symbols of his own family on your fingers, shoes on your blistered feet, and spreads a feast of kings before you. Let the celebration begin.
- Pastor Eric