Inundated...one more commercial...one more talk show...one more glossy covered mag with the "undoctored" perfect picture of the perfect person. I guess I'm supposed to want to be like that..dress like that...look like that...live like that. She's made it...he's found it...and I can too if I'll follow the 10 tips on page 63. And so it goes. There's so much out there telling us we all ought to be all about ourselves. Any one of those book stores that dwarf the strip malls and house little coffee shops have huge sections called "self-help". Self...help...what an oxymoron. "If you can think it, you can do it" seems to be the standard...the banner over this thing called the American Dream. So you'd better "help" yourself 'cause no one else is going to lend you a hand...both of theirs are in the cookie jar. "King of the Hill" is the name of the game. Build yourself up and look down on everybody else...problem is if you're looking down, there's no way to see what's above...no way to glimpse the glory of the One Who reigns over all things. He's the only "Helper" this "self" would ever need. That's the biggest problem...trading in the One True God for the JV god...man...which is the ultimate expression of pride. And this brings me to my point, which may be mostly for my own heart tonight. Humility follows our God like a shadow. It cannot exist outside of Him. When we dismiss the idea of dwelling humbly in the shadow of the Almighty for the prideful notion of valuing "self" more than His authoritative presence, we quickly find our "selves" out of step with the Creator and what He created us to be...in a word...His. So keep the magazines and talk shows telling me where my loyalties should lie. Don't need 'em. Instead of looking "out" for number one...I want to look "up"...and bask in the shadow...and the Light of His glorious face.