Getting Past Self, and on to Health

6. December 2007 by BruceSmith.

The Journey from soul impairment to spiritual health, while full of challenges, is one which we all must take if we are to find our true selves. We were created and placed upon this planet by a being whose goal for us is to know Him and to become all He has called us to be. Trouble is, we tend to think we know better than He how life should pan out for us. What keeps so many of us locked in the dungeon of depression, confusion, and emotional madness is the depth of our self-focus. It almost seems strange, I know. All this talk about finding healing and wholeness in our lives, at first glance, appears to force us to be self-focused. But, hold on, put on your thinking cap, and consider today’s thoughts for a bit. We begin in the friendly skies.

Cassius Clay, who came to be known as Ali, the greatest boxer to ever live, was known for his bravado, conceit, and showmanship. We were all entertained by his self-promotion and “razzle dazzle”. Such a spectacle can be humorous in context, and certainly as part of the show we know as “boxing”. But in real life, in the context of relationships, and in the context of our own growth, such a self-focus can be downright damning.

As this story unfolds, (whether real or an urban legend, it very well could have happened with Ali) we gain a crystal clear example of just how potentially ridiculous and illogical an inebriation with self can be.

On one of Ali’s transatlantic flights to a fight, in the middle of the night, several hours into the trip, the pilot’s voice was heard over the intercom, “Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking…currently we are flying at an altitude of 30,000 feet, and moving at a speed of 575mph. We are headed for some severe turbulence in just a few minutes, and we need you to return to your seats and buckle your seat belts for your safety.” As almost all passengers do when they hear such a warning, just about everyone on the plane did as the captain had asked. That is to say, everyone but Ali.

After a few minutes, the flight attendants noticed that Mr. Ali had, in fact, not buckled his seat belt. Knowing of Mr. Ali’s reputation for showmanship and the size of his ego, the attendants looked at each other and wondered who was going to have the distinct pleasure of making an attempt to get this larger than life figure to get with the program. Finally, one brave female flight attendant stepped to the plate. As she made her way to Mr. Ali’s seat, she could tell by the look in his eye (you know that look) that this was not going to be easy. As she approached his seat she decided to try to diffuse what could become an on-board bout, and she gently leaned over and whispered in Mr. Ali’s ear, “Sir, did you happen to hear the captain’s announcement?” Ali replied, “Yes, little lady, I did hear what he said.”

Thinking she had already made some progress, she continued, “O.k., well, Mr. Ali, could you, please, go ahead then and put your seat belt on and buckle up with the rest of us?” Not realizing she had made a crucial error (suggesting to Ali that he was like “the rest of us”), she turned to walk away when she heard, with great bravado, “Little lady, Superman don’t need no seat belt!” Not jarred by Ali’s jab too much, and keeping her composure, she turned and swung back landing a fatal blow, “Mr. Ali, SUPERMAN DON’T NEED NO AIRPLANE!”

Round One to the flight attendant! Mr. Ali’s ego…on the mat and down for the count!

True or not so true, again, this episode very well could have unfolded in Ali’s life, and it certainly unfolds in our lives in many different ways every day. Truth be told, we all tend to place ourselves, in our own minds, as “unique” and superior to others. The truly horrifying reality is that we actually do this with God. Why else would created beings attempt to force their own plans for life into being without any input from the One who actually created them? Seems ridiculous does it not?

Logically speaking, consider the implications of such a strategy. In Ali’s case, suppose severe turbulence had sent him flying from his seat. What could the results have been? A broken neck, concussion, broken hand, …you name it. Further, such an incident could have resulted in the loss of the fight due to his impeded performance from injury or it could have resulted in his withdrawing from the bout. That in turn could have resulted in a severe loss of income, loss of reputation, loss of a title, … .

Self-focus, vanity of the soul, distorts our perspective and corrupts our hearts. When its all about us, we shrink our hearts. The key to healing and growth is to recognize that we are all in the same boat, or plane, or status of soul, and to recognize God’s bigger plan. Here is a hint, God’s plan may be bigger than just you and I!

The importance of rejecting self-focus is made clear in C.S. Lewis’ work, A Preface to Paradise Lost, a critical literary work evaluating the plot and characters in Milton’s famous epic Paradise Lost. In Lewis’ work, he explores the character of Satan as drawn out by Milton. The character study is nothing short of brilliant, and biblical, in it’s interpretation of the Satanic Delusion. Further, this study of Satan, as revealed in Milton’s work, has staggering parallels with you and I. It demonstrates, vividly, the dementia which results from an improper focus on self. The passage below is somewhat lengthy, but worth the time and effort. As you read, you will not have to search too deep to find yourself and others “between lines”–I know I did not. C.S. Lewis writes,

He (Satan) thought himself impaired…because the Messiah had been pronounced Head of the Angels…This was in his view a wrong beyond measure…A being superior to him in kind, by whom he himself was created–a being far above him in the natural hierarchy–had been preferred to him in honor by an authority whose right it was to do so was not disputable…Satan did not recognize that in actuality this constituted a compliment to the angels rather than a slight. No one had in fact done anything to Satan; he was not hungry, nor over-tasked, nor removed from his place, nor shunned, nor hated–he only thought himself impaired. In the midst of a world of light and love, of song and feast and dance, he could find nothing to think of more interesting than his own prestige…

Hence, his revolt is tangled in contradictions from the beginning…he wants hierarchy, but not this hierarchy…he is engaged in sawing off the branch he is sitting upon because his is a case of a creature revolting against a creator, the very source of his own powers.

Hence, Satan’s strife is described as Heaven (he was created there) running from Heaven, in that he is diseased, perverted, and twisted, he is still a native of Heaven…it is like the scent of a flower trying to destroy the flower. As a consequence the same rebellion which means misery for the feelings and corruption for the will, means Nonsense for the intellect.

I do not know whether we can distinguish his conscious lies from the blindness which he has almost willingly imposed on himself. Heaven understands Hell (Satan and fallen nature) and Hell does not understand Heaven, and all of us, in our measure, share the Satanic Delusion.

The Satanic delusion, friends, is indeed a part of us all. In our self-focused culture, and in the self-absorption of our own minds we see the effects of this ill health. Our perceived impairments send us into chaos. The chiefest of all perceived impairments, I would suggest, it the bent view which causes us to believe that we are somehow sold short in life if we offer the reins to God. Like Satan, we fail to see that we only have a fragrance because of the Flower. In attempting to take life into our own hands we cut ourselves off from the Stem. Rejecting God’s leadership and plan sends us, like Satan, into a world of self-deception, corruption of the mind and will, and sabotages our ability to think rationally. In the end, our emotional state becomes nothing short of miserable.

The world is bigger than us. As we get past self we find healing and wholeness. That journey past self begins with our moving toward God. Then, as He corrects our vision and gives us eyes to see the wonder of His ways, we turn toward healthy and life-giving relationships with others. As we do this we draw closer to living in that place Jesus called us to when asked, “Master, what is the greatest commandment?” Jesus’ reply, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength, AND, love your neighbor…” As we get a hold of those two, which only comes as we let go of our Ali-like, and Satan-like focus, we find wholeness making its way back into our lives.

May God give us eyes to see!

Bruce Smith

optimuslife.org

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