For a very long time, I have corrected my children (now all
adults) when they put themselves first in a list of people, as in “Me, Bob, and
Susie.” It was drilled into me through decades of English classes that we
always put ourselves last in such cases. “Bob, Susie, and me!” I would
insist. It does feel like a losing battle, though. And when you look at our
culture you can see why: this “error” is part of the vernacular.
I’m going to engage is some very amateur psychology – or sociology,
or even theology - here, so feel free to take my proposition with a grain of
salt. We can point to the failed “self-esteem” efforts in schools that resulted
in participation trophies and contributed to poor grades. I suggest that the
focus in our society on self and selfishness has infiltrated our language, and I
would argue that much of this is due to our abandonment of God. Yes, God. The
bible speaks clearly on this subject:
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or
vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to
your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
-
Philippians 2:3-4
Does this not go against everything we hear today – in conversation,
on social media, on television? I swear that every other commercial I see says
they have something I “deserve.” (I guess advertising has never really changed,
has it?)
I think the world would be a better place – and pretty
quickly, too – if we just followed the admonition to put others before
ourselves. Maybe forcing ourselves to say “Bob, Susie and me” would remind us.
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