Any Way You Want It

As heard in iconic band Journeys song, “Any way you want it, that’s the way you need it, any way you want it”. So how do you want it? And no i’m not just talking about sex as is obviously the focus in the song (although I guess that is a component of what i’m asking). I mean in a much broader sense is life everything that you want it to be? What would you change to make things even more perfect? Imagine that you have magical genie like properties of limitless ability — what would you give yourself and what would you take away?

The society of self. What seems like a brief contradictory (and only partially formed) sentence is the reality of our current state. Popular culture and society screams one thing at us louder than everything else — life is about you and you should do whatever it takes to follow your heart, to be true to yourself, and to get what you deserve. Wasn’t Burger Kings slogan for over forty years “Have it your way”? Hasn’t technology become about ease of personal access? The very concept of credit is based on the idea that people cannot wait to have what they earn, instead they can have it now and pay the price later.

What resides at the center of this movement? Selfishness. And let’s not kid ourselves, it’s not like this is a recent movement. This ever shifting movement towards selfishness started thousands of years ago it’s just become easier to be selfish because of the tools that we have today that humanity didn’t have in centuries or even decades past.

The consumer market for almost every product tells us that we need the newest, best, biggest, most expensive options out there. How does this form of marketing work so conclusively across all demographics? Because it is built on a sin that pervades all humanity. Selfishness.

In Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges a significant number of pages are devoted to the idea of selfishness. The book is certainly convicting. I can say with certainty that after reading that chapter and reflecting on your life there is not a person alive that would not admit to needing change and growth in that area.

So what do we do when something permeates our society and culture but we are to remain separated from it? Well some great practical advice can be found at these links:

But if you want my personal opinion the best way to become less selfish is to devote your life to something greater than yourself. And I’m not talking about any random concept of greater power I’m talking about giving your life to Jesus Christ. He is the answer to every sin. Sure other approaches might help you change but He is the only one that can redeem you for what you have already done and find continued peace.

I’d recommend checking out Bridges book if your interest has been elevated.

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