This seems like quite the interesting topic. If you know me, you know that I am a firm believer in the gospel of Jesus Christ. That being said, why in the world am I writing about self-centeredness? I say, because the Bible (in some ways) promotes it!
Take a look at this excerpt from Lewis' "The Weight of Glory"...
"If there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly to hope for the enjoyment of it as a bad thing, I submit that this notion has crept in from Kant and the Stoics and is no part of the Christian faith. Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."
There it is. Our desires for sexual fulfillment, for belonging, and even for physical enjoyment are not so strong that we have to try to dampen them, but so weak that we try to find satisfaction in things that are never satisfying. The Psalmist pens endless poetry about his longing for God and how it is the only thing he has come to desire.
"My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times." (Psalm 119:20)
"Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you." (Psalm 73:25)
"My soul thirsts for God, for the living God." (Psalm 42:2)
"O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water." (Psalm 63:1)
"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my should pants for you, O God." (Psalm 42:1)
These are only a handful of the sum 150 chapters of Psalms.
Rodney Stark, Sociologist of religion, stated in 1996 that there were an estimated 5-8 million world believers by the time that Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity around AD 300. Now if we look at the condition of the Christian life at that time, we can see that it was quite horrendous. Persecution was permitted, but not legal until the Emperor Trajan around AD 98. Until about AD 250, persecution was legal, but mainly local. But up until the first edict of toleration in 311, persecution became not only legal, but general and widespread. This included (but was not limited to) being burned at the stake and being fed to lions in the colosseum. So, why in the world would a person choose a life of absolute social segregation and martyrdom for something that may or may not be true? I believe the answer can be found in the story of Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley.
These two men, while being burned at the stake at Oxford in 1555, showed great calm. As the flames crept up their legs, Latimer was quoted in saying, "Be of good comfort, Mr. Ridley, and play the man! We shall this day light such a candle by God's grace, in England, as I trust never shall be put out."
They found Christ to be of such emotional and physical comfort, that they were able to approach their death with confidence and thanksgiving! I do not think that the same could be said for sex, material worth, or popularity.
This leads me to conclude that when the entirety of a person's being finds its worth and value in Christ and in Christ alone, pleasures beyond the understanding of the normal man may be experienced.
C.S. Lewis is also quoted with saying, "It is a Christian duty, as you know, for everyone to be as happy as he can."
Lewis was probably aware of Psalm 16:11 when he stated that.
You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Interestingly enough, when we give God all of the glory through what he did in Christ, our greatest joy is fulfilled. This turns into a beautiful dance of our relationship with the Creator. When our uppermost affections are Christ, we are given unfathomable joy. By finding this unfathomable joy, we in turn bring God glory in it.
An example of this may be found in a healthy marriage. A man might bring a gift of flowers to his wife, a practical example of the love the groom has for his bride. By doing so, his wife's heart might be filled with love for him in return. All along, this is what the husband was searching for. Her happiness from his action turns into his own happiness!
In conclusion, it is okay to be self-centered. But only if you truly care about yourself. If you truly care about yourself, you will love God and others more than yourself. From this you will find your greatest joy.
