A very interesting poem in the “Letters to the Editor” portion of the Times Union caught my attention on Tuesday. If I remember correctly, the poem is called “My Name is Meth…” The poem very clearly and dramatically communicates how the drug Methampthetamine can hook you, control you, own you, and then completely destroy you. The sobering lines describe eloquently the harrowing prison of addiction.
Meth is powerfully addictive. It grabs people and then quickly dismantles their lives, leading almost inevitably to either death or incarceration. It seems to me that this Meth cycle is a grisly, real-life analogy of what happens to all people (only more subtly and at a much slower pace) who “want to save their own life” or “gain the the whole world.”
You see, there is a drug infinitely more powerful than Meth, and it is called “Self.” We’re hooked on it from birth. As we grow its death-grip just tightens on us, even though we learn to put on pleasing facades to cover it up. The main ingredients of the “Self” drug are pride, pleasure, possessions, and power. We mix this deadly concoction in the lab of our hearts and soon it controls our souls.
- Oh, what a high we get when our egos are stroked!
- Oh, how good illegitimate pleasure feels!
- Oh, how possessing things gives us an ecstatic feeling of invulnerability!
- And what a trip power is!
When we have all of these going, we believe we have life by the tail. The truth, Jesus says, is that “Self” has us by the throat. The inevitable end for those whose lives are addicted to and controlled by “Self” is the loss of their souls–eternal separation from God.
What is the cure for this global pandemic of “Self” addiction?
Jesus says: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.”
Putting (and keeping) Jesus on the throne of our lives may feel like death at times. It hurts to say “No” to “Self.” But it is also incredibly freeing. With time one discovers that Jesus knows much better than we do how to lead us into the fullness of life. As Chris Rice wrote, “Freedom from myself will be the sweetest rest I’ve ever known.” I don’t just understand what that means, I feel it.
Meth addicts can almost never free themselves from their addiction without help. The same is true of our “Self” addiction. We need the truth of God’s Word, the power of the Holy Spirit, and relationships with believers in the church. Discipleship is not a solo project.
Let’s learn to let go of “Self” and cling to Jesus together. I’m not sure it is possible to get through life without addiction. We might as well make ours “Jesus,” since that is the only one that really leads to life.
Who’s helping you, and whom are you helping, find freedom from “Self” and make Jesus your “addiction”?
Kip
