Outside my Own Little World

I've come to the conclusion that there are times when I can pretty self-centered. As much as I try to think otherwise, I fall into the trap of thinking the world revolves around me. If things don't go the way I expect, I feel depressed and down. When things are going my way, I feel great!

There is a song by Matthew West called, "Outside My Own Little World" (you can listen to it by clicking on the link) that always strikes a chord with me when I hear it. 

In my own little world it hardly ever rains
I’ve never gone hungry and always felt safe
I got some money in my pocket shoes on my feet
In my own little world
Population me

I try to stay awake through the Sunday morning church
I throw a twenty in the plate but I never give ’til it hurts
and I turn off the news when I don’t like what I see
it’s easy to do when it’s
population me

Isn't this so true of many of us? We go through the motions but never really try to see things as God sees them. We say we give God our lives, but really we just give Him enough to make ourselves feel good and as long as we aren't too inconvenienced.

What if there’s a bigger picture
what if I’m missing out
What if there’s a greater purpose
I could be living right now
outside my own little world

I long to find the bigger picture, and catch glimpses of it periodically, but many days I get lost in the details and distractions of daily life.

Stopped at the red light, looked out my window
Outside the car, saw a sign, said “Help this homeless widow”
Just above this sign was the face of a human
I thought to myself, “God, what have I been doing?”

So I rolled down my window and I looked her in the eye
Oh how many times have I just passed her by
I gave her some money then I drove on through
in my own little world there’s
Population two

What if there’s a bigger picture
what if I’m missing out
What if there’s a greater purpose
I could be living right now
outside my own little world

When Dan & I first started in full-time ministry we were excited and it was easy to see the bigger picture.  But, after 30 years of ministry, some days I lose sight of that calling. I get bogged down in the details of managing programs and forget the overall purpose of what I'm doing.

So much energy goes into thinking about paying bills, and planning services and programs, that we can start to temporarily forget the bigger picture. People are what matter. Seeing them experience the transforming power of Jesus Christ is the purpose.

Start breaking my heart for what breaks Yours
give me open hands and open doors
put Your light in my eyes and let me see
that my own little world is not about me

This is my prayer. That I would be reminded that it's not about me. That God would help me to see people through His eyes. That he would use me as a tool in His hand to bring others to Him.

My prayer is that I would continue to be reminded to look outside my own little world.