The Idol Of Ego

from Idols & Ideologies on Youversion

The idol of the ego is rife in our culture. A disordered preoccupation with our desires, status, and achievements can lead to arrogance, selfishness, and a lack of concern for others. This is the idol of the ego.

When we are focused on our own glory, we are blind to the needs and worth of those around us. We ignore the needs of others and the kingdom’s call to elevate God and others over ourselves. The habit of selflessness/self-sacrifice or humility is the antidote to the idol of ego.

‬Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.

‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:11

Humility involves:

• a selfless concern for others (Romans 12:10, 1 John 3:16)
• a willingness to put their needs ahead of our own (Philippians 2:3-4)
• and a desire to serve rather than be served (Galatians 5:13)

Jesus is the ultimate example of selflessness (Matt 20:27-28), laying down his life for others (Rom 5:8, Luke 10:25-37) and teaching us to love our neighbours as ourselves (Matt 22:35-40).

The story of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet is counter-cultural in their culture and ours today. This is a counter-cultural moment in a society favouring arrogance, entourages, parades and spectacle; the greatest leader, the Son of God, the King of kings, doesn’t come under that idol. He brings a heavenly kingdom habit that we are called to emulate: humility.

‭By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

1 John‬ ‭3:16

Jesus humbly washes the feet of his disciples, an act typically performed by a servant. This act symbolises his selfless love and willingness to serve others, encouraging his followers to adopt a similar attitude of humility and service as he walked into the ultimate act of humility, and laid down his life for ours.

‬What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

‭‭James‬ ‭2:14‭-‬17

Today, let’s focus on cultivating the habit of true selflessness and as we do, we can overcome the idol of ego and live a life of sacrificial love.

‬Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

‭‭John‬ ‭15:13

Prayer Point: Lord Jesus, I thank you that you lived a life of sacrifice and humility. You came as the King of kings, but you laid down your life to the point of death on the cross. I pray that you would remove the idol of ego from my life and instill in me a heart of humility and servanthood.