You First...

I was recently sitting in on one of the Sunday school classes here at the Portico. They were studying John Wesley's, Three Simple Rules. We have a banner hanging in the sanctuary with these rules inscribed:

As I listened to the class discuss the second rule, it struck me that simplicity actually threatens the modern world. Seven billion people on the planet trying to survive. Everyone out to make it...to get theirs... We live in the age of "what's in it for me?"

And we know it. We sense that it is tacky. We know that it is contrary to the teachings of Jesus. We probably don't even want to live this way. But we're afraid of living any other way. We figure that it is just about the time that we let down our guard and start thinking about the other guy that whatever is left of the rug we're currently standing on will suddenly be ripped from beneath us and it will be over.

Of course, for all practical purposes, it is over already. As long as we remain enslaved to that fear of what will happen if, we are certainly not winning whatever game that the modern world has taught us to play. Our salvation lies in something other than the "me first" model that has brought us to this place. Yet, for whatever reason, we can't seem to shake the addiction... My daughter has a hamster. They say it runs something like six miles a night on that wheel on the outer side of the cage. It doesn't really go anywhere but it usually gets tired enough to sleep through most of the following day. It's back at it each night though...

Wesley lived in a far less complex era. Nevertheless, he still saw the value of offering the faithful a simplified version of the faith. Here, try this... here are three simple rules to live by. See if this helps with the craziness...

The way I see it is that we are all waiting for the other guy. We'd be glad to take the plunge--embrace a more simplified, just and selfless existence--just as soon as everyone else agrees to do the same. But that's just it, isn't it? It doesn't work that way. And, of course not...

I remember listening to a millionaire talking about what it took to become as wealthy as he had become. He said, "Don't kid yourself. It's not easy to get to where I've gotten in life. If it were, everyone would be doing it. But that really doesn't matter, does it? Because this isn't about everyone else. The question is how much do you want it."

Though there is certainly a difference between being materially rich and spiritually rich, I suspect the lesson still applies. It is not about the other guy. As long as we are waiting around for everybody else to get excited about living decently, we're probably not going to get too far ourselves. If we desire to be rich in spirit even just simplify our lives a bit, then we will have to take the first step... and probably the second and third as well. The fact is, if these things were easy, everyone would be doing them. So it comes down to you and I, doesn't it? Have we had enough of the "me-first" model? Are we willing to try something else--even if we can't get everyone around us to agree to the same?