{"id":5061,"date":"2012-01-18T15:06:01","date_gmt":"2012-01-18T21:06:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theamericanjesus.net\/?p=5061"},"modified":"2012-01-18T15:06:01","modified_gmt":"2012-01-18T21:06:01","slug":"in-celebration-of-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/zackhunt\/2012\/01\/in-celebration-of-me\/","title":{"rendered":"In Celebration Of Me"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

Today is my birthday.<\/p>\n

Which is great because it means everyone is required to stop and think of me before doing anything else today.<\/p>\n

Want that last\u00a0Boston\u00a0creme donut behind the counter? Tough luck. It\u2019s my birthday. I\u2019ve earned it.<\/em><\/p>\n

Think that parking spot near the front of the store is yours today? Think again. It\u2019s my birthday.<\/em><\/p>\n

Thought you\u2019d get to the movie theater early and snag the middle seat halfway up? Sorry, you\u2019re just reserving that for me. You\u2019ll need to move. It\u2019s my birthday.<\/em><\/p>\n

Going to the grocery store next to my house this afternoon? Before you check out, stop and think \u201cWill this cause Zack a delay in leaving the store in a prompt manner?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Planning on changing lanes while you drive near me today? Make sure you first stop and think \u201cIs there a chance I will cut Zack off and\u00a0unnecessarily\u00a0delay his forward progress?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

At least this is what I\u2019ve come to understand the meaning of birthdays to be, especially for the 35 and under crowd, which I\u2019m a part of\u2026.for at least a few more years.<\/p>\n

Of course, it\u2019s not just my birthday<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0anymore. As the students in my youth group remind me it\u2019s also my \u201cbirthday week\u201d and even my \u201cbirthday month\u201d. During which time, everyone is required to conform to the birthday celebrant\u2019s every whim.<\/p>\n

After all, I\/they have earned it simply by being born.<\/p>\n

You know the more I think about it, the more I realize birthdays<\/em> are really irrelevant. Based on what I see on TV, read on the internet, or just experience in \u201creal life\u201d, most of us live as if everyday is our birthday.<\/p>\n

Everyday is about \u201cme.\u201d The very fact that I was born makes \u201cme\u201d important. \u201cYour\u201d thoughts and actions should always conform to what \u201cI\u201d want or at least what \u201cI\u201d think is acceptable. What\u2019s more, \u201cyou\u201d better not think of doing anything that might inconvenience \u201cme\u201d in any way, whether real or perceived. There was a time when that sort of behavior might have been tolerated, but this is the age of \u201cme\u201d!<\/p>\n

After all, science has clearly demonstrated that the world revolves around \u201cme\u201d. Any disruption to that cosmic cycle will bring the world crashing down.<\/p>\n

Maybe it\u2019s just me, but I never ceased to be amazed at the growing sense of self-importance that permeates every corner of life these days. It\u2019s really not that shocking though, if you really think about it. If you were born in the last few decades you\u2019ve probably been told since birth how important and special you are. When you here that all the time it becomes the gospel.<\/p>\n

I wonder if that has anything to do with our increasing inability to find common ground on issues, or at least live\u00a0peaceably\u00a0together. If \u201cI\u201d am really that special and important and somebody doesn\u2019t agree with \u201cme\u201d, then maybe \u201cI\u201d am not as perfect as I thought I was. But that can\u2019t be true. \u201cThey\u201d must just be evil. (So goes the logic)<\/p>\n

Maybe that\u2019s not an issue, but it seems that way sometimes.<\/p>\n

Now, I don\u2019t think we should do away with birthdays or celebrating personal accomplishments, but we could all do with a good does of humility, not least of this guy. Simply put, we really need to do away with the cult of \u201cme\u201d. We all have gifts and talents, but most of us really aren\u2019t that awesome\u2026\u2026and that\u2019s ok.<\/p>\n

Yes, we\u2019re all made in the image of God and that really is wonderful. But it\u2019s wonderful that God made us; it\u2019s not wonderful just because we exist. What\u2019s worth celebrating is the fact that He chose to be in relationship with us, working through and with us to redeem all of creation. That\u2019s pretty awesome and it has nothing to do with \u201cme\u201d.<\/p>\n

Besides, if we were all that special, then we\u2019d all really be the same, there would be no such thing as \u201cspecial\u201d and the world would be a pretty mediocre place to live in.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the thing\u2026.I\u00a0genuinely\u00a0appreciate all the birthday wishes I have received today. I really, really do. And I don\u2019t take issue with celebrating birthdays. Especially when that celebration includes a coupon for a free meal at Texas de Brazil<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But this day that is \u201csupposed\u201d to be\u00a0all about \u201cme\u201d<\/em> has been a reminder for me<\/em> that life really isn\u2019t about me<\/em> at all. It\u2019s about the God that created me. Clearly, he did a pretty awesome job with that (kidding), but I am here because of Him, not my own\u00a0accomplishment.<\/p>\n

So, if I have a birthday wish this year it\u2019s that I hope I can remember what, or Who, life is really about and live everyday this year as if my life isn\u2019t just about \u201cme.\u201d<\/p>\n

That would be something really worth celebrating.<\/p>\n

Grace and peace,<\/p>\n

Zack Hunt<\/a><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0 \u00a0 Today is my birthday. Which is great because it means everyone is required to stop and think of me before doing anything else today. Want that last\u00a0Boston\u00a0creme donut behind the counter? Tough luck. It\u2019s my birthday. I\u2019ve earned it. Think that parking spot near the front of the store is yours today? Think […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3437,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5061","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nIn Celebration Of Me<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"    Today is my birthday. Which is great because it means everyone is required to stop and think of me before doing anything else today. 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