Welcome to the final installment of our series, “How to Ruin My Life.” We’ve explored the wisdom in Psalm 49 that reveals the paths to avoid life’s destruction and ultimately points us to the wisdom of the cross of Christ. In this last article, we will delve into the last two steps that can lead to our own demise.
#8 – Bless Myself
“For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed—and though you get praise when you do well for yourself—his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see light.”- Psalm 49:18-19
Our relentless pursuit of wealth and a lasting legacy often stems from the desire to be praised in this life. Many of us essentially “live” to offer congratulations to ourselves, making life all about “me.” We pamper ourselves, express love for ourselves, boast about ourselves, and sometimes even our “humble” decisions are driven by a desire to gain recognition from others.
But why is self-blessing like this a problem? It’s the very heart of entitlement, fueling the “what’s in it for me” mentality. The most significant concern with this self-centric mentality is that it makes following Jesus impossible. When life becomes exclusively about us, we become grumpy, prideful, and overly self-protective. Instead of becoming disciples of Jesus, we risk becoming disciples of the self-centered culture around us.
The Cross Of Christ
So, what does the cross have to say to people living in a culture that encourages self-blessing? The cross reminds us that we are blessed to be a blessing. Those who persist in self-blessing are often blinded by their own sense of self-significance, making it impossible to see the beauty and glory of Jesus.
In Christ, we are blessed eternally with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, all bought and paid for by Jesus Himself. However, these blessings aren’t meant for self-indulgence; they are bestowed upon us so that we can join with God in blessing others. Remember, if I choose to bless myself, I will inevitably ruin my life.
#9 – Refuse the Knowledge of God
“Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.”- Psalm 49:20
Verse 20 closely resembles the sentiments expressed in verse 12, but it includes a significant addition. Both verses describe humans in their pomp, akin to honor, glory, or a splendid display. They emphasize that people in their pomp are essentially like animals, living to eat as much as they can before they perish. However, verse 20 adds a crucial note: “Man in his pomp, yet without understanding, is like the beasts that perish.”
But it doesn’t have to be the story of our lives. When the knowledge of God–the wisdom of the cross–enters our lives, it can bring about a profound reorientation, offering the possibility of leading a meaningful existence. Seeing life through the lens of the cross allows us to truly become human again.
However, our struggle lies in the fact that we often find it offensive when God suggests that we lack understanding. We may desire God to reveal His will to us, but when He does, we sometimes resist it. As the proverb says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.“
The Cross Of Christ
So, what does the cross have to say to those who refuse the knowledge of God? What we have learned from Psalm 49 as a whole is that the cross encourages us to seek a fresh vision for what life is all about. We need to see our suffering, wealth, legacy, death, and future from God’s perspective.
Without this understanding, we are no different from the beasts of the field that ultimately perish. The cross serves as a clarifying force, altering how we perceive everything. But if we persist in refusing the knowledge of God, we will inevitably ruin our lives.
Spinning Out
We began this series talking about the Titanic, and we conclude by referring to Pirates of the Caribbean. In the movie, Captain Jack Sparrow possesses a compass that points not to the north but to what one’s heart desires most. At a certain point in the film, the compass stops working for Jack, spinning aimlessly. This mirrors how sin distorts our decision-making. Sin confuses our sense of direction, making our moral compass spin wildly.
In another part of the movie, Jack realizes that Elizabeth Swann desires the same destination as he does. As he hands her the compass, it points unerringly in the right direction. The only way to get where he needed to go was to hand over the compass to someone else.
You and I need a profound reorientation. We must be willing to surrender the compass of our lives to someone who hasn’t been distorted by sin. All the warning signs are there, and we stand on the verge of ruining our lives. The question is, can we humble ourselves enough to entrust our compass to Jesus? Will we cease the spinning madness of overconfidence in wealth, pride, and worldly wisdom and fully embrace the wisdom of God in the foolishness of the cross?
“For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.“- 1 Corinthians 1:18
