Is It Time For A Spiritual Selfie?

This morning as I took my daughter to work we drove past a teen girl waiting for the bus to arrive to take her to school.  She stood in a dramatic pose, with her phone in her hand and was clearly striking this pose for what surely was to be her newest social media addition.  This, as most already know, is a "selfie."  Now, it should be noted that though some want to think selfies are new, actually the first recorded “selfie” was taken by a photographer in 1839 and the first recorded mirror selfie was taken by a woman in 1900.  Thus the “selfie” is really not new, just more readily available to anyone with a smart phone and social media.

The dictionary defines a selfies as; “a photograph taken with a smartphone or other digital camera by a person who is also in the photograph, especially for posting on a social media website.”  Thus a it is a picture that shows ourself to ourself, and possibly others.

But as I thought about this morning’s event and the entire life os self-photos, it struck me that the selfie can also be used in a spiritual context as well.  You see “selfies” show our current condition and really should we not do the same with our spiritual life?

King David asked for God to examine him in Psalm 26:2.  His desire was to be proven through trials so that he could know whether he really loved the Lord in a way that the Lord deserves to be loved and worshipped. 

Then in 2 Corinthians 13:5 we find another example of a “selfie.”  Here the people of the church at Corinth had asked Paul for some sort of proof of his authority to correct them (1 Corinthians 13:3).  So Paul asks them to “examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith: prove your own selves.”   He explains to them that if they are saved then they are no longer “reprobates” as Christ changes the lives of His own.  So is this really a spiritual selfie? Not in the strictest sense, as Christ is the only One that is doing the final work and the “selfie” here is to prove the point that if the people want proof from Paul, they should be willing to give proof to him.  Thus not a real “selfie” examination.

But then we come to 1 Corinthians 11 and there we find a true spiritual selfie!  Here Paul is restating the principles that the Lord gave regarding the Lord’s Table or Communion.  So that when he comes to verses 28, he states, “But let a man examine himself….”  This “selfie” is for one purpose, to allow us to examine our hearts before we eat of the Lord’s Table unworthily (vs. 29).  This is clearly the spiritual selfie that helps us to get a genuine look at ourselves.  

What is the purpose of a selfie?  First, a selfie allows us to see ourselves at a given moment or situation.  As an example, you can take your smartphone, take a selfie, and then use it as a mirror, of sorts, to see how you look.  This gives you the opportunity to fix any glaring flaws, such as hair our of place or that terrible spot of food stuck to your front teeth for all to see.  You can take a selfie of yourself in some situation so you can remember what you did there or remember some specific details of that location.  I will constantly take a picture of things I want to remember such as numbers and addresses.  So it is with the spiritual selfie as we can examine ourselves for our own benefit and growth potential and remember where we were at a specific point in our life.

Second, a selfie allows our “image” to be placed before people so they can share in our lives.  I am connived that the teen girl this morning probably had her “selfie” on the web somewhere before she ever got to school.  Maybe she even entitled it with some funny name to garner attention form others.  In a sense selfies are a snapshot of our current life and spiritual selfies are actually for the same reason - to be an example and a reminder.  Jesus told His disciples that He was their example (John 13:15), Paul told Timothy to be an example to others (1 Timothy 4:12), and God allowed the Old Testament prophets to be an example to us (James 5:10).  Being an example is not a bad thing, if you have effectively placed a good “selfie” in front of others.

Here are a few benefits of taking an examining spiritual selfie:

1. It’s important to regularly search our lives for any hidden or unconfessed sin.  That is really the heart of 1 Corinthians 11:28.
2. If we examine ourselves thoroughly first, then we can know that our lives are right with God, thus making other’s judgment of us un-necessary. (1 Corinthians 11:31)
3. If we allow for regular spiritual selfies, then we will not have to stand ashamed either in front of the world or in front of God on Judgment Day. (1 Corinthians 11:32)

So how does a person take a spiritual “selfie” then?

1. Begin by asking God to search and try you (Psalm 139:23).  Don't leave any part of your life off limits to Him.  Open every door of your life and let Him show you who you really are inside.  It is only God that can truly show us our sin and it is He who must ultimately help us  fix the errors we see in these selfies.
2. Be honest with yourself about your spiritual condition.  As an example, if you do not LOVE reading God’s Word, then admit that and ask God to help you love His Word.  Or if you struggle to pray because you feel you never get your prayers answered, then be honest enough to to admit that failure and seek to adjust your view of prayer away from asking God for things to allowing God to strengthen you for the life you have (James 4:3).
3. Don't ignore what you see in yourself.  There are NO small sins when it comes to getting right with God.  Too often we see our spiritual imperfections and do nothing about them. (James 1:22-25)  If you are not faithful to church, then that requires attention.  If you harbor bitterness then you MUST deal with it.  If you are prideful, then confess it as sin and ask for deliverance.
4. Take time and don't rush.  We are told that waiting on the Lord is a good thing. (Isaiah 40:31)  If you only spend a few moments each day with the Lord, then you probably will look rough in your spiritual selfie.  But if you spend time alone with God, then are going to be more likely to mature and grow in Christ. 

A selfie can be seen as a narcissistic image or it can used as a self examination example of true personal condition.  The definition of which type of selfie is not up to the people who view the selfie, but in the one taking it and sharing it.  So why are you taking selfies and what are your going to do with them?