Face

Hide your face from my sins . . . 

 - From Psalm 51

If we could just boil every human behavior and attitude down to its very essence:

Is that selfish?

Or is it not?

I think that's really where it all starts. Are you doing that for yourself, because it feels good? Have you put any thought into the effect that what you're doing will have on others? Is it good for children, or does it just make you feel good, or smart, or important . . . or "bad"?

In 2021, we've just about made the transition complete, to a society and culture that actually prefers the bad; that prefers mediocrity. You know . . . stuff that doesn't require a lot of work, nor the inconvenience of being honorable; nor to think about others. 

If I feel good . . . then I must be good. 

What will people think of us, seven generations from now? Oh that's right, we don't care what they think. Just like we couldn't care less about our ancestors and their sacrifices. They're dead anyway. 

Our definition of "love" itself, has been mashed down into a tingly feeling we get when our chemicals and hormones get swirled around, just so. 

Does it put others first? Or yourself?

Scott Peck defines evil as fully-developed narcissism. Selfish acts feed selfish attitudes, and selfish attitudes grow into self-aggrandizement and the pursuit of what feels good. What makes me feel good.

You really can simplify the root cause of every bad thing . . . back to whether people are serving themselves, or others. 

The entire Psalm 51 (almost) is a sustained plea that God forget about our sinfulness. You cannot improve, you cannot gain real goodness, or the ability to express real love, without getting yourself out of the way.  In Scripture, God reveals His full face, to those whom He blesses. A covered face is a defensive face, an untrusting face. A face that is not interested in connection with others . . . at least . . . for the right reasons. 

The unselfish act is symbolized by showing one's face. It is an act of trust and vulnerability. It's the first step to meaningful human interaction. If we would cover one another's faces, we must do so with a full understanding of the possible repercussions, in expressing ourselves to one another, in this way.