SELF-CENTERED VS. GOD-CENTERED


Matthew 16:23


You are not setting your mind on God's interests, but  man's.


The apostle Peter is a glaring example of the struggle between self- 
and Christ-centered living. Only moments after Peter confessed the 
fundamental truth that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the Son of the 
living God (Matthew 16:13-16), he found himself in league with the 
powers of darkness. Having just blessed Peter for his noble 
confession, Jesus announced to him and the other disciples the 
suffering and death which awaited Him at Jerusalem.  "And Peter took 
Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, 'God forbid it,  Lord! 
This shall never happen to You'" (verse 22).

Jesus responded: "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to 
Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but  man's" 
(verse 23).

Jesus' memorable rebuke seems mercilessly severe. But the fact that 
He identified Satan as the source of Peter's words 
describes  precisely and appropriately the character of the advice 
Peter tried to give: "Save yourself  at all costs. Sacrifice duty to 
self-interest,  the cause of Christ to personal convenience."

Peter's advice was satanic in principle, for Satan's primary aim is 
to promote self-interest as the chief end of man. Satan is 
called  the "prince of this world" because self-interest rules the 
secular world. He is called the "accuser of the brethren" because he 
does  not believe that even a child of God has a higher motive than 
self-service. You can almost hear him  hissing, "All men are selfish 
at  heart and have their price. Some may hold out longer than others, 
but in the end every man will prefer his own things to the things 
of  God." That's Satan's creed, and unfortunately the lives of all 
too many Christians validate his claims. Satan has deceived them into 
thinking they are serving themselves when in fact they are serving 
the world, the flesh, and the devil. But the Christian worldview has 
a different center. Jesus confronts our humanistic, self-serving 
grids and offers the view from the cross. Only from this center 
can  you escape the bondage of the one whose sole intent is "to 
steal, and kill, and destroy" (John 10:10).


Prayer:


Loving Father, help me forsake self-centered attitudes and actions in 
order to take up my cross daily and serve You.