As Christians, there comes a time in our spiritual journey when we have to make the conscious decision to stop plugging into the ways of the world around us and instead plug into the Kingdom of God. This conscious, deliberate shift requires us to embrace a new identity in Christ and lose our ego. What does it actually mean to lose your ego though?
Letting Go of your Ego: A Practical Example
Consider this scenario, imagine you are experiencing a really difficult season and you find yourself going through financial hardship. So many times we confide in those close to us about the things we're going through and you find yourself doing the same. So here you are spilling the truth to a friend or relative and suddenly they suggest that you shop for reduced items at the grocery store and buy clothes from charity shops to save costs. Immediately, your ego is triggered. You don't know how to react, thoughts race through your mind: "Who do they think I am? What do I look like shopping there? That's beneath me."
This unscious, automatic reaction comes from a desire to persever who you think you are. We all do it, this world is about keeping the reputation and status you imagine you have established. However, as Christians, we have to give up our self-constructed identities. Who we believe we are has to submit to who God says we are. We need to reflect Him in our ideas, behaviours, and character.
Re-evaluating Material Wealth
Finances are only one example of how we boost our egos, we often associate riches with self-esteem and success. However, life should be joyful whether we have everything or nothing. It can be difficult to find joy within difficult situations like financial hardship but it is something we should work towards. Having peace that surpasses all understand is something that is available to us (Philippians 4:7). At the end of the day, material possessions should be just that: objects. They should not help us feel good about ourselves, boost our ego or cause us to elevate our value as humans above others.
Christ's life is a beautiful example of this. He was born into modest circumstances and led a modest life when he could have ruled the world, if he wanted to. He said, "The Son of Man has no place to lay his head," (Matthew 8:20) highlighting that His ministry was not dependent on material goods. Christ's worth was found in His divine character and mission, not in material prosperity.
The True Purpose of Prosperity
Prosperity and wealth are true blessings from God. They are not necessarily negative; in fact, they are beneficial when we relate to them in the way God intended. However, we must strive for a greater understanding. Material prosperity should be a result, the byproduct of living a righteous life, not the end goal. The pursuit of righteousness and God's Kingdom should always come first.
Seek First the Kingdom
The teaching of Jesus is to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." This verse reminds us that our primary attention should be on leading a life that glorifies God. When we prioritise our connection with Him, everything else—prosperity, success, and monetary blessings—will inevitably follow.
Finally, as Christians, we are called to connect with God's Kingdom while disconnecting from the ways of this world.
Luke 14:26
26 If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.
Mark 10:29-30
29 So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, 30 who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.
This transformation requires us to let go of our egos and embrace our genuine identity in Christ. It involves transforming our minds to view material assets as simply objects, not extensions of our self-worth. This is highlighted by Jesus in Matthew 6:19-21.
Matthew 6:19-21
Lay Up Treasures in Heaven
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
When we seek God's Kingdom first, we align with His will, resulting in true fulfilment and abundance.
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