In the world today, we seem to have the "I" culture. In the world today, it seems to be only about self-centeredness and self-righteousness. This is clear everywhere we go. We’re bombarded with this philosophy every day. It is everywhere in our culture today: The devices we use even have the "self" factor in it; the iPhone is one example. The message of the world today is quite similar to Nietzsche's philosophy about will to power and trying anything that advances an individual’s power. It looks we have overturned the Judaeo-Christian values.
This culture seems to have entered into Christianity and it's starting to affect how to practice what we preach. These days, people seem to just care only about themselves, stomping and tromping down on others in order to have things go their way. Christians today seem to only pray about what concerns them and what benefits themselves. People do not even seem to care about things that help others. This "I" culture is not what Christ preaches to us. Jesus Christ taught us to care about our neighbors, even those who do not believe in Him. This means every human is our brother and sister, and all ought to be cared for in the same manner. Everybody seems to just be fighting for their own benefit. This is far from what Jesus preaches. He preaches that we should love our neighbor as ourselves. This means putting our selfish interests aside and truly being our brother's keeper.
The attitude of "I" needs to stop; it is good to pray for yourself but do not forget your neighbors and other people. These days, prayers I hear just seem to about "me, myself and I." It makes me wonder if we truly care about others or we just preach but do not practice. My school, Lee University, is a place in which I have truly come to understand selflessness. This school has people who put others above themselves. This is because Lee has set up an environment in which we can be selfless. It is an environment I wish the entire world had. An environment in which the love and service of others has overcome self-centeredness and individualism. Lee University's student body organizes prayer sessions in which we just pray for the world and others. They do not just pray for others because they are told to. They pray wholeheartedly as a school with the true love of Christ in their hearts, for the whole world and each continent in it. This environment at Lee University is one I wish the world had. If we had such an environment the world would truly be a better place.
Do we strive to become more of ourselves or do we strive to become more like Christ? Philippians 2, 3:5 says: "Don't do anything from selfish ambition or from a cheap desire to boast, but be humble toward one another, always considering others better than yourselves. And look out for one another's interests, not just for your own. The attitude you should have is the one that Christ Jesus had." As Christians, if we are to practice what we preach, we would put others above ourselves. We should learn to place others above us just as Christ teaches.
