Look, Dad, I Did It All By Myself!!
There’s this comedian I enjoy watching – most of the time, and one of his routines makes a joke about the transition of meaning from a child’s happy statement “I did it all by myself” to the very sad phrase of some adults who sing “All By Myself”. You can hear the song below if not familiar with it. Seems these days there is a move on to keep us alone and isolated. But, I believe I see glimmers of hope on the horizon since most people I know are tired of being kept “all by myself”.
Of course, I understand the accomplishment of a child who can now tie his own shoes, ride her bike without training wheels, build a stack of blocks, or pick up that “heavy” toy “all by myself”. That drive to do well, be better, run faster, be the strongest can certainly be an asset as we grow and develop. Right? However, we need each other and are not built to thrive “all by myself”.
Children need parents who support, love, provide, and train them to grow up and become adults (or even older children) who put the needs of others above their own and can put off self-gratification to another time or simply not be concerned about getting what they want. I think this is a pretty good definition of maturity.
Oftentimes, I have had discussions regarding each generation. Most of the input has been negative toward the current or next younger generation. Well, here’s a news flash for you! Each generation has its own set of problems and negative characteristics. For instance, I have heard this sentence: “This new generation just wants people to be real and they can tell instantly if you are not.” May I just do a “raspberry” here and say, “Bologna”. In Kentucky we would say “balonie”.
Who doesn’t want people to be real and authentic? Who can really see through the masks and deception of older, more calculating, people setting out to deceive? Most young folks don’t have the life experience or the equipping to recognize deception when confronted with it; and beyond that few have the courage or confidence to stand up to truth and right. Ever heard of “peer pressure”.
We are not built to always “do it all by myself”! When we think about the need for support and read the definition below, pause a few seconds and ponder this. How much of your daily routine could be done if you were all by yourself? Groceries, food, transportation, car, computer, internet, skills, training, relationships, and on and on we could go. No need. You and I are needy and need God’s love and provision all the time…all of it. Even when God uses others to meet our needs or us to meet theirs, we demonstrate we are not to do life “all by myself”. You may not be married, that’s fine; but know you need others and others need you.
That is why we must be born again, as Jesus so succinctly stated in John 3:3. Why? Because we are desperately needy of God’s provisions for here and hereafter. Jesus came to die, so that you and I could live – abundantly now and eternally with Him in heaven one day. Ask God to show you His reality. Ask Him to open the eyes of your understanding to see Him in creation, in His Word, in His Son Jesus, who by the way has stood up to more scrutiny and attacks oner the years, than we can imagine. Jesus is Who He said / says He is. Trust Him. Ask Him to take the control of your life and lead you into the Truth. He is the truth. He is powerful and can save you and me from ourselves and even the aloneness of our “all by myself” culture. Oh, I don’t mean people aren’t social. I am saying that social networks aren’t social at all. Face to face, in person where possible, being appropriately touched or hugged is part of that for which we were built. We all need each other and our God, Who loves us so.
SUPPORT:
Come up alongside another to respectfully offer and then help others carry the heavy load they are under or to keep them from having too heavy a burden.