We've been hearing this jingle for so many years that I'll bet many of us could sing the whole song without Googling the lyrics, or at least know the melody well enough to have sung this line as we read it. This slogan is about as American as apple pie. We deserve apple pie and we deserve a break today. Advertisers are always telling us that we deserve to have what they're selling. They use this word because we're quick to buy in. Yes! I deserve it!
That word "deserve" bothers me because it makes us take things for granted and it makes us do things that hurt other people. And it's exactly the opposite of what the Apostle Paul says in his letter to the Philippians:
5 "You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
6 Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
8 he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
8 he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father."
and gave him the name above all other names,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father."
Jesus didn't demand what he deserved. Instead he willingly gave that up. Paul says we should have that same attitude. So it's especially disheartening to see churches demanding their right to defy medical advice by meeting together during a pandemic. This isn't following Jesus, it's following McDonalds.
Star Wars, however, gets it right. In The Last Jedi (2017) there's lots of selfless giving going on. Three examples stand out. (**spoiler alert**)
--Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo (Laura Dern) stays behind on the transport ship while the rest of the resistance fighters leave on escape pods. In true leader tradition she goes down with the ship, but not before ramming it into the First Order's flagship as she jumps into hyperspace, thereby destroying both ships and saving the remaining resistance fighters. I also love that only Admiral Holdo and General Leia know what Holdo is going to do, not caring that some of the others think she's being stupid. Doing the right thing often looks foolish to some.
--Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran) makes a similar move to Holdo's when she rams her plane into Finn's to stop him from flying into the First Order cannon. Finn is convinced that his sacrifice will cripple the cannon and save the resistance. Whether Rose thinks Finn's move won't work or she's simply unwilling to let him die isn't clear. Both Finn and Rose are acting selflessly. Sadly, though Finn survives, Rose apparently does not. Sometimes doing the right thing is foolish but we do it anyway because it's the right thing to do.
--Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) stands up to Kylo Ren to draw Ren's focus while the resistance fighters escape. When we discover that it's not the real Luke and just a projection, we think he's wisely found a way to help without sacrificing himself. But it turns out that this projection required using up his last ounce of strength, and after it's all over, Luke dies in the way that all the Jedi died before him, he disappears. Is it any less self sacrificing because he knows he will live on as a spirit?
Of course, life isn't always as black and white as it seems in the movies. In the midst of our hard choices, so much can cloud our vision. Sometimes there is more than one right answer. And sometimes the right answer is saving yourself so that you can help others. But if we're saving ourselves at the expense of others, it's probably the wrong choice.
I said "probably" because I don't know everything and I don't know your situation, so I'm not making an absolute statement, even thought I'd like to. I get things wrong sometimes. We all do. I'm thankful that God gives us grace when we mess up. But our mess ups can hurt more than just ourselves, so it's important to try to avoid them.
The Bible's wisdom book Proverbs tells us to, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." (Prov. 3:5-6 NLT) Don't make hard choices without talking to God first. Though we didn't deserve it, God sent us Jesus because he loves us too much to lose us (John 3:16) and he longs to help us (Isaiah 30:18).
May God bless your seeking him, and in his Spirit may you overflow with love, joy and hope.
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