This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.
We all make choices. Do you choose to serve yourself or do you choose to serve others?
Lent is about choice. We choose what to give up as a way to remember and observe what Jesus choose to give up for us. We choose to give something up/fast as a way to remove those things that stand between God and us.
Spider-man II is also about choice
As this movie poster shows, Spider-man II is all about choice. (FYI – spoilers…)
If you can, watch Spider-man 2. Don’t be fooled by how shallow the Amazing Spider-man movies have been. Spider-man II has a depth to it that the new ones don’t. As you watch it, pay attention to what Peter Parker wants.
Peter Parker wants:
- A job (or to keep his job)
- A girlfriend
- Good grades in school
Peter Parker wants good things. He wants admirable things. He wants what we want for ourselves and what we want for our own kids. Pursuing these things, however, means not being Spider-man and serving others.
Getting/keeping the job means not being the hero.
Getting the girl means not helping others.
Getting good grades means not being Spider-man.
Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. Philippians 2:3
Everyday we choose between serving ourselves and serving others.
Does our own selfish ambition and vanity motivate us? Or do the needs of others motivate us?
Sometimes these choices compliment each other. Sometimes they fit like a puzzle and you end up getting both.
Sometimes they do not.
Sometimes we have to give up what we want to help others get what they want.
This is the choice that Peter Parker must make. Will he pursue money (his job), a girlfriend and good grades? Or will he be the hero who saves others? He has to make a choice.
Will he chase his own desires or will he empty himself of his own selfish ambitions and be the hero?
Will he humble himself and choose to help others instead of just helping himself?
What about you? What do you want?
For what do you desire?
What would getting what you want mean for others?
Are there areas of your life that you “fill up” at the cost of other people? Are there areas of your life that you fill up when you empty them instead?
Philippians 2 says that Jesus emptied himself and humbled himself. We know the story and can easily see that this is true. Jesus gave up his own life to save my life. Jesus gave up his own life to save your life.
What would this sacrificial emptying and humbling look like in your life?
Here is my first challenge to you:
[Tweet “During Lent, examine your life for areas where you take, but should be giving.”]
This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.
[Tweet “Check out Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional.”]
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Until next time, God bless.
Simon L Smith