Inspiration
Getting Beyond Ourselves
Have you gotten caught up in the fitness movement ? It seems that many of us have finally recognized that all the fast food availability , ready access to high-sugar soft drinks and increasingly sedentary work styles in high-stress environments haven ’ t been good for our health ! As a result , it ’ s not unusual to see a lot more walking , jogging , bicycling and general activity around the neighborhood . That ’ s a good thing . Actually , that ’ s a great thing !
Individuals can get even more serious , if they ’ re willing to put some money toward the effort . One can purchase an instrument that fits on your wrist and tracks your activity throughout the day , providing information on your exercise , heart rate , cardio fitness and sleep patterns . This device can even provide breathing sessions and reminders when BY Rev . David Muench , it ’ s time to move . A recently added function provides the capacity to
Director of Ministerial Care embark on a virtual experience , in which the steps you take in real life are translated into a trek of your choosing in another geographic location ( perhaps a national park ), complete with pictures of what you ’ d be seeing if you were there in person . Isn ’ t the advance in technology spectacular ?
The question I ’ m going to pose , however , relates to an advance of a different nature . While the fitness movement is wonderful , and in many cases long overdue , it lends itself to a serious problem . That problem is egocentricity — making ourselves the center of everything in our lives . The challenge is to balance the focus on oneself with attention and love for others . The tendency toward this unacceptable position of selfishness in fallen humanity is not unique to the modern world . In fact , Jesus was aware of its presence as He summarized the second table of the law while speaking to the Rich Young Man in Matthew 19 , “… you shall love your neighbor as yourself .” (: 19 ).
So here ’ s my question : What can we do to advance our focus beyond ourselves ? I ’ m suggesting that we continue to accept and meet appropriate challenges related to our own physical health and well-being and also set and meet appropriate challenges to “ get beyond ourselves .”
What would that look like in your world ? What if you were to look for and accomplish challenges in which your love for your neighbor is obvious and your work to promote the well-being of the community in which you live and work matches , or even exceeds , your zeal for personal fitness ?
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