Repent of Self-Centeredness

Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. [John 13.1-5]

As the One Year Chronological Bible goes, by this time in all the Gospels, it has become evident that Jesus is preparing to leave this life.

By some accounts, Jesus' references to His death were vague, but others were quite clear. However, all agree that His message was the same: He was going away.

I want to take a very simple approach to explaining what happened while also taking the time to meditate on it.

Jesus knew He was about to be crucified.

Jesus knew He would be betrayed by Judas.

Jesus knew He was going to die. 

So, what did Jesus do in His final hours?

He had a meal with His disciples, washed their feet, prepared them for what was about to happen, and then went to pray.

Jesus had every opportunity to avoid being crucified - including not even going to Jerusalem in the first place. But He didn't.

If Jesus is our example, well, based on the story here today, we are not doing a very good job of following His lead. 

There is no way one can pursue the preservation of, and pandering to, self and follow the footsteps of Jesus. We, as a society, have fallen victim to the age-old sin of self-centeredness that has betrayed people since Adam. Worse yet, our entire society thrives on self-worship. Oh, we don't call it that, but that is what it is. Only a casual moment of consideration will reveal this. A quick look around will confirm that our society has been given over to reprobation - a sign that judgment has already been passed. Why? Because of self-centeredness.

What do we do? Repent for our self-centeredness. Repent for our 'me-first' attitudes. Repent for putting ourselves before God. Repent for putting ourselves before others. Repent for worshiping AND serving the life we are given rather than the God Who gave it.

Our repentance will subsequently require action. It will require not only that we repent of putting ourselves first, but that we also STOP putting ourselves first. This will require selfless acts toward God and man.

How do I do this? Like Jesus demonstrated, it starts and ends with prayer. In that 'bubble' of prayer, God's Word is prevalent. When we, like Jesus, are saturated in God's Word and prayer, the 'foot-washing' will be evident. It is in this realm that we fulfill the greatest and the second commandments: Love God - love man.

You see, it's not a matter of "it would be good" to be in God's Word and prayer. It is a matter that there is NO WAY we can be in God's will outside of God's Word and prayer. And, while a person may do endless good deeds to others outside God's Word and prayer, there is NO WAY those good deeds matter for eternity if they are not born (in the person doing them) of God's Word and prayer. A person who performs good deeds not born of God's Word and prayer only benefits himself - and that is perhaps the most dangerous self-centered condition of all.

I dare say for most of us, our busyness keeps us away from God's Word and prayer. Our busyness is about ourselves.

May God lead us to repentance.

Father, I have been self-centered and I repent of it. God help me.