It Is All About me, me , me

It can lead to aggression, materialism and shallow values. Its traits include excessive self-love, based on self-image, vanity, conceit, egotism or simple selfishness. It is known as Narcissism. And now a new book has taken a hard look at its growth and effects on the American culture.

Psychologists Jean M. Twenge and W. Keith Campbell have authored a new book entitled “The Narcissism Epidemic.” According to the writers, material on the topic was not very difficult to locate. In fact, they found high levels of narcissism most everywhere! In a study of 37,000 college students, narcissistic personality traits rose just as fast as obesity from the 1980s to the present. The major shift seemed to be among women, but the tendencies have spread throughout the entire culture.

The authors also stated, “Not only are there more narcissists than ever, but non-narcissistic people are seduced by the increasing emphasis on material wealth, physical appearance, celebrity worship, and attention seeking. A popular dance track repeats the words, "money, success, fame, glamour" over and over, declaring that all other values have "either been discredited or destroyed."

The phrase that might best sum up this growing phenomenon is simply, “It’s all about me”. And although it may well be on the rise in modern America, the flaw has been part of the human condition since the very start – and even before.

Isaiah 14 describes the very first case of sin that was directly linked to a massive dose of narcissistic thinking. It did not yet involve man, but in the heart of God’s highest and most impressive created being – Lucifer who would become Satan, God’s arch-enemy. The attitude leading to his downfall begins in verse thirteen. “For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation. On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.” The five “I wills” in just these few verses leave no doubt that, in Lucifer’s mind, it was all about him!

But later on, after Satan’s explosion from heaven, he took the opportunity to lead the very first man and woman straight onto his prior destructive path. Their fateful meeting is described in Genesis chapter three. In wanting also to be ‘like God’, both disobeyed a direct order and foolishly tried to fulfill their own selfish desires. That fateful move then plunged them and all humanity into sin and into a world saturated with pain, suffering, and death.

Fortunately, the loving God who was rebelled against came to the rescue hinting at His plan in Genesis 3:15. His perfect Son would come and die in man’s place as a way to make all things right and be forgiven of all things wrong. Jesus Christ would live out the polar opposite of the attitude and actions that began back in the Garden of Eden. His selfless attitude and sacrificial death are described by Paul in Philippians 2:5-8. “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

The King of Glory met the scourge of sin head on by allowing Himself to be brutally and unjustly executed for the sake of those who ignored and rejected Him. None of His earthy ministry was ever all about Him!

Narcissism make well be growing in a lavish and increasingly secularized American culture. But the same is fully incompatible with the heart of Jesus Christ and authentic Christianity. True believers are encouraged, and even commanded, to also be like their Savior and to do the exact opposite of those that live only for the moment and mostly for themselves. And just as Narcissism today is easy to find, so are verses in Scripture that address it. These few should suffice.

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4)

“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:9-10)

“And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:30-3)

For those in Christ, life is first all about Him, then all about others, and in a distant third place, about themselves.

Bill Breckenridge