Turning the Camera Outward
By Dean Collins
Everyone is doing it. I don't know about you, but the odds are you have done it too. Some people are obsessed with it. I admit that I have done it a few times. Almost all of mine have been to send to my kids or grandkids. And during my years as a college president, I have appeared in many of these pictures as a favor to more than a few college students. Yes, I am talking about the selfie. The first one I took was with my wife as the sun was setting behind us at the beach. And I have a few selfies with grandchildren as well. Selfies can be innocent fun, but they might also reveal that we have become obsessed with self or self-promotion, depending on what we choose to do with our selfies.
It may not have been Paul's intent, but his words seem to apply to the self-obsession in our current generation. And for the believer, Paul's words are important to remember. None of us lives to himself. Kingdom people are not focused on self. Our focus is to be on God and on others. As we mature in our faith, our focus shifts more to serving others than on how we might better serve ourselves. As God’s word is planted in our hearts and minds, it guides our focus and our behaviors.
Before the age of cellphones with cameras, it was rare to see anyone pointing a camera at themselves. Cameras are designed to look outward to the beauty of what is around the photographer. It takes an extra step to adjust the camera angle to look at the photographer. Apple and Android designers have made it easy for us to focus on us. Our enemy is subtle in how he tempts us to also focus on ourselves instead of others. But in the beginning, God created us for himself and for each other. Sin interrupts God's intent and switches the focus. Jesus restores our focus and allows us to once again focus on God and through him have the capacity and the love to help others. Paul reminds us that Christ did not please himself but instead took our failures and shame to the cross. And by this ultimate act of love, we know can have hope and together glorify God.
Once we have our focus properly set, we can now build others up and allow them to experience all of the life that God has planned for them. As Paul wraps up Romans, he takes a whole chapter to thank and praise 28 different people for their service to him and to others. Paul modeled a life focused outward, and the fruit of his labor was a large group of leaders who were doing the same.
As good looking as you are, I suspect the world doesn't need another picture of you or me. But I would love to see a picture of all the people we together can influence for good and for God!
Father, renew our minds by your Holy Spirit that we might better see and love those around us. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your Time with God’s Word
Romans 15:1-7 ESV
Photo by Pexels
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