Being absorbed with ourselves is a common feature of today's society. Our image is constantly being bombarded with the world's view of how our bodies ought to look like. Everything is judged on how the media thinks we should live our lives.
Success by the world standards = house
car
thin body
good job
money
These are all to do with status.
Jesus had non of these, well, he may have had a thin body but then he did a lot of exercise, fasting and walking meeting, teaching and healing people!
Jesus was not a worldly success, His status was in God and not in man's illusion.
During His ministry Jesus walked, slept out in the open, did voluntary work, owned nothing, and trusted God to provide for his physical and spiritual needs.
Of course today we need somewhere to live, but is it a house of God?
Hebrews 3:6
But Christ, as the son, is in charge of God's entire house. And we are God's house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ.
We may need a car as distance to work and transporting children to school and activities would be impossible without one. But is it a means of travelling in God's Kingdom? Do we use the time travelling to center on God? For example, listening to spiritual music that enhances our soul and of those travelling with us? Or praying for our loved ones and their needs?
Ephesians 4:29
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Do we diet or worry about our appearance for the sake of societies image or do we take care of our bodies as they are temples of the Divine?
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Our jobs, no matter what they are, do we share God's love through actions of kindness, compassion and mercy to others during our day?
Philippians 2:3-4
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
The money that we have, do we ask God how and in what areas we need to be generous in?
Proverbs 11:24-25
Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and loose everything. The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
All of these worldly things that God has given us, do we give back the honour and glory to Him for providing us with the skills, gifts and fruitfulness that He has bestowed on us to help us be successful? Do we love and thank God for his generosity? Do we pass on our cups that are brimming over to others who do not have the measure that we have?
Proverbs 3:9-10
Honour the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.
Are we absorbed with ourselves or with God?
Whose is the greater glory? Ours or God's?
Jeremiah 9:23-24
This is what the Lord says: "Don't let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich in their riches. But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things. I, the Lord, have spoken!
God created us out of Love. Do we love God enough to abandon our ego's and return that love?