But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. | 2 Corinthians 4:7
Our illustration today comes from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away (and may reveal my level of geekdom). In the final episode of the Book of Boba Fett, the villain Cad Bane gives one last bit of advice to the aging bounty hunter:
Look out for yourself. Anything else is weakness.
While this show is for entertainment, this is a sentiment that exists in the soul of the modern person. While we coach ourselves to believe that compassion and mercy are good things, we also hold on to this deep individualism. We might never say something like this but we argue and fight like people who believe it. As people steeped in Darwinism, this is simply the logical result of the survival of the fittest. If every person is battling with every other for superiority, then we must fight for ourselves.
There are many reasons why this, I am a rock, I am an island, mentality falls short. One reason is that we were created to be in community. The only thing that God said was not good in His creation was: it is not good that man shall be alone (He then rectified this by creating a partner). It is also true that we simply can’t survive on our own; we require a multitude of people in a layered balance to provide the many elements that make up life. This is summarized well by John Donne in his famous poem, No man is an Island:
No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;
if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe
is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as
well as any manner of thy friends or of thine
own were; any man’s death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
In my prep for last week’s sermon I found another way that this self-centered way of living leaves us wanting. When we try to control everything, we shrink the work being done on our behalf to only what we actively do. If it is every person for themselves, then no other person is acting towards my benefit. If I am on my own, I have to use every bit of my energy to fight for what I need. My own happiness becomes entirely dependent on me; and I must defend what I have. This makes my world very small. While the world does not revolve around me, it makes my lived existence nothing more than a first person perspective.
When we take on Christ, we admit our inability to look out for ourselves. We proclaim: I am not enough, I need a Savior. With this, we are opened up to the reality that God is working out our good, through others, in ways that are completely unknown to us. It also means that you may be the person that God is using to bless others. In this, your life is not about looking out for yourself, but finding your place in His creation. It is about accepting weakness so that you can see all of the good happening apart from you. There is a great peace in recognizing your inability and handing control to God. There is also great joy, as you can celebrate what you cannot yet see, sure that God’s good is all around, even when it seems far.