Are you a selfie?

I learned that Paris Hilton is being pursued by a dictionary company to let them define the word "SELFIE" that apparently she created. I'm not sure if any of this is true but I know that many people have used the word including myself. From what I learned this is how most of the people define the word - a photo of yourself or taking a picture by yourself usually with a mobile phone when no one is around to take it. I hope I'm right because that's what I see in captions of photos of my friends I see in Facebook. The recent and most significant one is President Obama doing the selfie while at the Nelson Medela memorial event.

Even before the cameras and mobile phones were invented, the word although in a different form already existed. The root word is SELF pertaining to self - focus on one's self, "it's all about me", "Me First" or "Only Me" attitude. They all mean the same thing - SELF-CENTERED.


As I am writing this, it dawned on me that this topic leads to a deeper root cause analysis on why human sin.  It is really about being focused on yourself instead of God.  If we go back and think about what could have happened if Adam and Eve didn't focus only on themselves, then there won't be any unhappy human being.



What about Christmas?  It is just around the corner and one of the elements is gift - giving.  When we give gifts, we also think of receiving gifts. I admit that I also think the same.  There are times that I only wanted to give to certain individuals because I know I will receive something from them.  We wanted to receive the expensive or biggest gift.  The word "wish list" was invented because we wanted to receive the gifts that we like, we will use, the gifts that are attached to "brands" or the "IN" thing (USO). These gifts we will brag about the next day because we only think about ourselves and what we recently acquired.  For some people, they think that the more gifts they receive, the more important they are. It goes back to - ALL ABOUT ME, MYSELF and I.

I remember someone asked me what to give to a person who is rich and only wanted to receive branded or expensive gifts.  He even looked down on him because his gift was wrapped from the store he bought them from.  "Sa SM mo lang binili?" was the remark.   I advised him not to give anymore if he thinks his gifts are not appreciated. Isn't Christmas supposedly about Christ and pleasing Him and not men?

This is God's word on gift-giving:  "For if you give, you will get. Your gift will return to you in full and overflowing measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over.  Whatever measure you use to give - large or small - will be used to measure what is given back to you." Luke 6:38

The reason why we are celebrating Christmas is because of CHRIST.  He is the perfect illustration of selfless giving because of God's love for us (He loved us so much -> John 3:16).  Now when we look at where he was born - it was in a simple manger.  The times have changed at how Christmas is celebrated and how gift-giving evolved but when we look back it's really that simple - no fancy ribbons, no expensive gifts, it's not about the size, or quantity, not even brands.  We just need to honor our Saviour.  It is about HIM, His gift of Love, Joy, Peace and Salvation to us so that we will be with Him.  He wanted us to be selfless and be filled with His Spirit. 

Philippians 2:4 says "Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."  It's very clear - do not be a "Selfie",  not SELF-CENTERED but GOD-CENTERED.

Merry Christmas to all!