I Wanna Talk About ME!

I must confess, I am a country lover.  I hope your opinion of me does not change too much!  One song I hear on the radio which stands out to me is I Wanna Talk About Me by Toby Keith.  (It really is not a good song, but it was on, and has something to do what I read in scripture today)  The chorus of the song goes like this:

I wanna talk about me, Wanna talk about I, Wanna talk about number one, Oh my me my , What I think, what I like, what I know, what I want, what I see, I like talking about you you you you, usually, but occasionally,  I wanna talk about me!


I was reading in Luke 15 again today and I was struck by the selfishness of the Prodigal Son before he returns.  He gets this idea in verses 17-19, “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!  I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.  I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’"  His basic premise for returning is so he will not starve; not because he desires to restore the relationship with his father and older brother.

He comes back home to satisfy his need, not to truly make amends for his wrong doings.  How many times have I done that?  More than I can count.  I find myself in sin, and life not going the way I want it to.  I crawl back on my knees before God in a false repentance in order to gain something for myself; not out of a desire to turn from what I am doing.

Jesus never finishes the story.  He does not tell us how the older son, the community, or the father treats the son a week, a month, a year later.  I would like to assume the Prodigal was true in his repentance.  This story raises an issue with me though.  Do I repent to get something out of it or do I repent to truly be reconciled and restored with those around me?  I often find myself in the former as opposed to the later.  A true heart change comes when I realize this life is not about me.  I am nothing really special.  God working in a through me to help others is what makes me special.

What are your thoughts?

In His service, Crazy Pete