"We" and/or "Me"

From My Perspective - - -

I was just reading a Review about the book: “Knocking Over the Leadership Ladder” by Paul R. Ford. The Reviewer observed from Chapter 2: "It is difficult to find the communion of the Holy Spirit when the spotlight is on the self…Narcissism, exaggerated self-concern says, 'It's all about “Me”… Entitlement says "I deserve it." We feel “We” deserve what we have, what we want and what we need. “We” look and act much like our unhappy culture… God's design…is for relationships to have priority over position or results. But it is hard to live "We" when our culture thinks and lives "Me"…God has designed us with strengths to offer others and areas where we need others…Individualism encourages “Me” to exhibit my strengths and hide my weaknesses. Community encourages “Me” to share my strengths and acknowledge I need you because of my weaknesses. It's not about “Me”; It's about “We”."

Our national news cycle has us focused on the Presidential candidates and their utterances. During the recent Saddleback Presidential Candidate Forum, a question posed by Rick Warren to both candidates pertained to “at what point a human being gets human rights”. The nuanced answer by one candidate was: "Whether you're looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity is above my pay grade…" Ironically, this answer was given shortly after he made a statement about his personal faith in Christ as his Savior and Lord. I could not help but think of the issue of the “Me” versus the “We” at this point. One should be able to have the expectation that a well-educated candidate who projects himself in an authoritative manner should have knowledge of Psalm 139:13 through 16, “For You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in Your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them…”. To an average person, that sounds like a meaningful life is being created by God at the moment of conception.

One would also think that a person with a legal education and background would surely grasp the significance of the words of wisdom in Proverbs 24:11-12, “Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, Behold, we did not know this, does not He who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not He who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will He not repay man according to his work?” This does not square with the advocates of Planned Parenthood, nor the Pro-Choice minions. When the focus becomes “The Presidency is for “Me” rather than a desire to be concerned for the “We” factors, such a candidate is short-sighted and chooses to be ignorant about the basic human rights and value of life for the “We”! This appeals to the Pro-Choice individuals – but – the greater concern should be, What is in accord with God’s views and desires for the “We” versus the narcissistic focus on “Me”!!

The “Me” factor has to be refocused onto the “We”. The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States is clear: “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” The emphasis is on the “We” rather than on the “Me”!

Consider these things with me and let us decide to implement a passage that will benefit the “We”, such as, Psalm 82:3-4,“Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” The change that is needed is a return to the Biblical foundations for the “We” rather than the aspirations for a “Me” type!