God vs. Self Fulfillment

So what’s wrong with self fulfillment?  The book shelves are filled with sage advice on how to find your true self.  These books and articles are found not only in the secular world but also lining the book shelves in the religious isles.  God wants the best for you–now go out and find it!!  Books such as
“Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young, gives one the impression that somehow your right thinking can bring you happiness.  Unless I misread her writings she believes that the road to happiness lies just beyond your reach. Jesus wants you to be happy.  Happiness is out there in never never land but it’s up to you to find the path to enlightenment.  We have become a “me-ism” society.  What is best for me!

In a new poll conducted by the Wall Street Journal and NBC news said that nearly 80% of people aged 55-91 being patriotic is important to them.  Only thirty percent of Millennials and Gen. X young adults said religion was important…… compared to over 75% of older adults. The one category in the poll where young people outpaced their elders was the importance of self-fulfillment.   In other words, life is all about what makes me happy and fulfilled!

Love of country, love of God, love of family and the desire for children ….are these not the basic building blocks of civilization?  How can so many young people consider them unimportant?  These are God given ideals that should be instilled in every home.  Are we teaching our children that God doesn’t always bring happiness into one’s life?  There are times of sorrow and depression.  Bad things do happen to both the agnostic and the believer.   That sometimes self fulfillment comes through sacrifice and self giving.  It comes when we put God, family and others before ourselves.

Since the 1960s the media, many of our educators, and various commentators have demonized American history and American ideas.  They have minimized the idea of a God who is the Creator of the universe and who has given mankind a code of ethical behavior. God, who knows that moral values and righteous living are the only things that will bring self fulfillment into one’s life. 

Though we give lip service to a deity—“in God We Trust”, activists, judges, and politicians have driven the Judeo/Christian faith from the public square.  Have we become a better people? 

Compare the view of family life on television and in the movies from just 40 years ago.  Shows like “Little House on the Prairie, or the “Brady Bunch”.  Now try to think of a television show or movie from the past decade that offers the positive portrayal of an intact family; a father, a mother, and obedient children. 

As for the pursuit of self-fulfillment, we indoctrinated these young people with the line, ’I am Special.“  We taught our children that the world revolved around them.  In too many cases, we neglected to teach them sacrifice, to put others ahead of themselves and to seek to accomplish the good or the great rather than satisfying their own desires.  Selfless- giving brings self- fulfillment! 

“Train a child in the way he/she should go and even when old they will not depart from it.”(Proverbs 22:6)