The Passion of the Chris. . .

That's what you pretty much could call this day at work. Seriously, working in customer service allows you to see the ugly side of humanity. You come out of here and you really don't like people too much at all. There is this horrible sense of entitlement that Americans have. We're OWED a cheap bill and we're OWED perfect cell phone service. And because we have free speech, it is our RIGHT to yell, swear and scream at any poor sap who takes our time.

I can't be too quick to point the finger, though. After all, I can be quite a jerk. I get pissed off in traffic if someone is driving too slow. I mutter angry phrases as I'm skulking down the hall if my neighbor is taking too long with the laundry. If peole walk to slow, talk too funny, or don't act in a way that is going to benefit me and get me on my way as soon as possible, I can get bitter, mean, and rude.

It comes down to selfishness. We've been taught this doctrine of self-worth by our culture. And I'm all for having a good self image and self esteem. Nothing wrong with that. But we're taught we're entitled to the BEST. Books are written on how to have a "ME" centered lifestyle. Some religions teach that we're our own God. Heck, some "christians" even teach that God came to give us everything we want and self-fulfillment.

The doctrine of self fulfillment and self worth is so blatantly non-christian I don't know how anyone can consider it as being anything BUT heresy?? The life of a Christian can be summed up in Luke with Christ's words, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?

Of course, the ultimate act of self-denial was the Incarnation, when Christ gave up his place in Heaven for a season to come to earth, wrap himself in our flesh and live as a human and die as a criminal. And I wonder, when Christ was walking down the Via Dolorossa carrying his cross, as the soldiers and crowds beat him and spit in his face, did he realize this as the ugliness of humanity? It had to be worse than what I see on the phone.

So that's when I see that my attitude once again has to be, like Paul said, like that of Christ Jesus. Willing to give up myself, my desires, and my wants and endure the suffering of humans. And I have to do it out of love.

C-Dubbs