We are Ruled by Our Desire to be the Ruler

Inspired by We Make the Road by Walking by Brian D. McLaren
Chapter Four

Since the beginning, since Adam and Eve, we have desired to be the god of things. We chose the wrong tree. “Instead of imitating and reflecting God as good image bearers should do, we start competing with God, edginess God out, playing god ourselves.” We blame each other. We become religious rivals. We judge one another.

The ancient stories have meaning for us today. “They help us know what’s broken with our world: something in our desires.” Instead of living in peace with grace and love we live to acquire, to compete and “to judge as evil those who get in our way.”

There isn’t anything wrong with desire if we reflect God’s desires – “to create, to bless, to help, to serve, to care for, to save, to enjoy.”

We are manipulated by advertisers and politicians. And we manipulate others.

Jesus “modeled a different way of life. He gave us a down-to-Earth example of God’s creative self-giving. . . But Jesus didn’t grasp at godlike status. He humbly poured himself out for others – in service, in suffering, even to the point of death.”

We have a choice – to follow and act as Jesus did.

Engage:
1. Did this hit any of your nerves?
2. How do you respond to reading the Philippians 2 passage as a reversal of the Genesis 3 passage?
3. Activate: Be especially sensitive to rivalry this week.