Selfie

The newest word in the Oxford Dictionary is one that, in my opinion, speaks of two other words that have long been a staple in the English language. I am sure you have heard by now – but if not:

In these hyper-connected, over-shared times dwell two kinds of people: those preoccupied with taking and uploading photos of themselves and those who have never heard of the selfie. The raunchy, goofy, poignant, sexy or drunken self-portrait has been a common sight since phone camera met social media. Now, nearly a decade since the arm-extended or in-the-mirror photos became a mainstay of MySpace — duck face or otherwise — selfies are a pastime across generations and cultures. (Associated Press)

I have never been fond of photographs of myself. I suppose we can pretend we are young and beautiful if we stay away from cameras and mirrors. Somehow the intersection with either of those items tends to remind me of the “ravages of time.”

But, the two words that come to mind are “selfish,” and “selfless.” We have watched our society gravitate toward the former to the degree that it has almost eliminated the latter from our vocabulary. Many, if not most, of the problems that we experience as a Nation and and a society come out of that natural state of humanity termed “selfish.” As our World, our society, and we as individuals have grown older, we have become more focused on selfishness because that is the manifestation of sin. We want what we want, and we want it now. We incorrectly love ourselves (which is why we take the picture and post it for everyone to see). Even the Church has succumbed to the temptation to find out what people want, and then attempt to give it to them.

“Selflessness,”  was demonstrated perfectly by our Lord – “who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, he humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death–even to death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:6-8 HCS)

Taking a picture of oneself and  posting it for others to see is not a sin. Being so in love with oneself that one does not, will not, discover the llove and grace of God brought to us through the selfless Christ is to miss the Gospel. That is a fatal move from which there is no recovery.