Self glorified; Avoiding the pitfall of iSyndrome

I had a conversation yesterday with my friend who is a physician about a little boy that was rushed into the hospital the last time I paid him a visit at work. While he talked I noticed his usage of 'I', as he said 'when I went through his file I realized that I could treat him, so I admitted him and I treated him, he got better and then I discharged him, after about a week later his parents came to my office to thank me.'

I didn't quite agree with the message buried in that statement above because it was evident he had skipped the space to give glory to the 'great physician.' He spoke boldly like he treated the boy by his own ability and power. Ironically, there was a tag just outside his office door that reads 'We Care, God Cures'

The iSyndrome is obviously not contacted as a virus, it is a self inflicted abnormality. It is the moment when an individual place undue emphasy on themselve above every other factor that aided their success.

Many amongst us, mostly people of the Christian faith get into the pitfall of self glorification. You hear them say things like 'that is the house I just bought, see the wealth I have acquired, here is the kingdom I rule....'. King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon got into this pitfall in Daniel 4:28-34

All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?”Even as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.”Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion;his kingdom endures from generation to generation.

Yes the truth is that everyone could do with a boost of self esteem because it reflects a person's subjective emotional evaluation of their worth. It is the way you see yourself that gives you confidence in your own ability and value.

Over the years, I have come to realize that the greatest trap in our life is not success, popularity, or power, but gratitude to God. One can have the above mentioned, in fact we all wish to have success, popularity and power and we work and pray towards it, but when we get answers to our prayer we leave out the space to give the provider all the praise.

Understanding that we did not by ourselves come to the world, and it was neither by chance, our hearts and lips should then constantly be filled with praises to the one who has made all things with His own discretion.

The account of the ten lepers in Luke 17:11-19 who met Jesus on His way to Jerusalem while He traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee shows us the importance of gratitude. All ten lepers needed help so they all cried out to Jesus, He gave an instruction to them which they obeyed and they were all cleansed, then one of them, I'll say that again, one out of the ten lepers found an opportunity to praise God, he went back praising and thanking God with a loud voice.

The concluding part suggests that this one leper did not only receive the physical healing like the rest of them, but because he gave glory to none other but God, he received an extra portion, the spiritual healing which I will like to rate above the physical healing that the other nine lepers got.

My friends, make sure that what you believe in your heart always points you back to Jesus and Jesus alone and not to yourself. Remember, it is all about His work, His doing, His performance, and His love in our lives. It never points back to you. Don’t be hoodwinked by those who move away from the pristine definition of grace as God’s unmerited favor and end up making it all about you and what you need to do. That’s not grace. Grace is God’s doing—from inception and all the way to the end. ... Joseph Prince, The Power of Right Believing: 7 Keys to Freedom from Fear, Guilt, and Addiction.

Happy Sabbath!
Thank you for reading.