Because I don’t take myself too seriously, I’ll begin this text by quoting Ron Burgundy. If you’re not aware of the character, it comes from a personality that Will Ferrell plays within the movie Anchorman. I’m not suggesting you watch the movie, only that in the event you are familiar, you’ll know that he’s an iconic character who is an ideal illustration of taking yourself too seriously. When he meets his latest co-anchor, Veronica, Ron comes on strong:
Ron: I don’t know methods to put this, but I’m sort of an enormous deal.
Veronica: Really.
Ron: People know me.
Veronica: Well, I’m very completely satisfied for you.
Ron: I’m very necessary. I even have many leather-bound books, and my apartment smells of wealthy mahogany.
We laugh on the character because he’s boastful and egotistical but in addition oblivious and misguided. Is an anchorman for a San Diego news station really that big of a deal? Yet, I feel we may additionally have the option to discover together with his heightened sense of self-worth. We might be vulnerable to considering of ourselves as an enormous fish in a small pond. Or a minimum of to make that our goal.
In an article at TGC[1], Luke Simon makes a fairly compelling argument that our New Year’s Resolutions might signify that we’re taking ourselves too seriously. His argument is that this self-righteousness actually enslaves us. And I feel he’s correct. Which has me wondering—what does it appear to be to take yourself too seriously? And how can I stop?
What Does it Mean to Take Yourself Too Seriously?
There are a number of characters within the Bible which might be quite obviously taking themselves too seriously. One of those is Haman within the story of Esther. Haman thoroughly might have been Will Ferrell’s inspiration for the character. His life revolves around his own ego and a desire for power. When Mordecai refuses to bow to him, he treats it like the most important offense within the history of mankind. He devises a genocidal plan to annihilate a whole race of individuals. Overreact much?
In Haman we are able to see among the signs of taking yourself too seriously. For one, his hyper-focus on recognition is a certain sign that he’s fairly self-obsessed. Pride has an inclination to magnify small offenses against us. What happens in the event you’re contributions aren’t publicly acknowledged? Do you obsessively check for likes, comments, or shares to validate a social media post? Do you grow resentful in relationships when your service and sacrifice aren’t noticed? Do you are feeling discouraged when others are praised, and also you aren’t? Do you steer conversations toward talking about your personal accomplishments and successes?
Haman also was self-centered in his considering. When King Xerxes threw a celebration for Esther, Haman assumed it could be about him. That’s why he unknowingly encouraged the king to lavish gifts upon his enemy, Mordecai. Haman assumed those gifts can be for him. Likewise, we are able to think the entire world revolves around us. Do you dominate conversations in group settings? If you hear a gaggle laughing, do you immediately assume it should be about you? Are you more aware of the wrongs done to you or things by which you’ve done? Do you make decisions that profit you or others?
If Haman hadn’t taken himself so seriously, I feel he’d have been capable of take a step back and laugh at how unbelievably ridiculous the entire story is. But his ego is so fragile that he can’t tolerate even the slightest perceived insult. Dallas Willard once said, “I feel a mature Christian is someone who could be very difficult to offend.” If you’re easily offended it shows that your identity continues to be wrapped up in yourself. You’re taking yourself too seriously still. Can you laugh at yourself? Do you cover up your mistakes or attempt to learn from them? When things don’t go as planned, do you obsess over what went incorrect or try to seek out joy within the unexpected? Do you chuckle at awkward moments or cringe?
If you think that you’re “sort of an enormous deal,” anything that exposes that as an untruth shall be unacceptable. In that TGC article, the writer talks about taking Jesus seriously. I feel that is smart. But I feel we want to ensure that what we mean by “serious” isn’t synonymous with dour. Basically, we acknowledge that Jesus is an enormous deal. He is where we discover all of our price, etc. That is what it means to take Him seriously.
Sometimes, we take our “religion” seriously, and it makes us identical to Haman—but with the name of Christ glossed over our own self-righteousness. If your relationship with Jesus isn’t producing freedom, a deeper love for others, laughter, and a humble awareness of your need for grace, it’s price asking in the event you’re following the actual Jesus or simply your personal self-made version of Him.
What Are the Signs of Taking Yourself Too Seriously?
What are the signs of taking yourself too seriously? Here are a number of:
1. Defensiveness
You can’t take criticism or admit any mistakes without feeling crushed.
2. Controlling
Micromanaging others or feeling the necessity to fix every thing.
3. Joylessness
You can’t laugh at yourself and even the absurdity of life.
4. Self-Pity
Do you wish to throw pity parties? Can you name more things incorrect along with your life or things going right?
5. Easily Offended
Is someone at all times hurting your feelings?
6. Avoidance of Risks
You won’t play the sport unless you already know you’ll win.
7. Perfectionist
You expect perfection from yourself and others.
How Do I Not Take Myself So Seriously?
Some people naturally have a more “serious” disposition. But that will not mean that you just’re being self-righteous. It all has to do with whether you’re placing your identity in Christ or self. I’ve known individuals who come across as very serious, but really, it’s only a deep focus. When they mess up, they can laugh at themselves. But lots of us actually need to sit back out a bit of. How can we do this?
The first step is to rightly assess yourself. Though quite delusional, I don’t think Ron Burgundy would have the option to maintain up the façade if he had an Isaiah 6 experience. We must accurately view ourselves as compared to who God is. I suppose if I were to play a game of pick-up basketball with a gaggle of six-year-olds I could persuade myself that I’m sort of an enormous deal. But that delusion can be popped if I needed to face NBA players—or, let’s face it, anyone who can touch their toes without making an old-man grunt.
After realizing that you just aren’t an enormous deal the following step is to essentially drink within the gospel. Jesus is an enormous deal. And He has accepted you. The more we come to know Jesus and really experience His joy, the more that spills over into our own lives. He provides an immense amount of freedom. And for this reason I don’t must make an enormous deal out of things. Yes, I would like to take sin seriously. But I don’t must take my finitude quite so seriously. There is humor in our sheer humanity.
That is the theology that must underpin among the practical suggestions. You must let go of perfectionism—even when imperfectly. And slowly learn to laugh at yourself. There is loads of comedic material there—tap into it. That doesn’t mean that you just’re beating yourself up or self-degrading, it just means being honest about our humanity. If you are attempting hitting an excellent high note without training, there may be a very good likelihood that your voice goes to crack. You might be mortified, or you possibly can laugh. Pick laughter.
Lastly, it is vital to surround yourself with individuals who remind you of the gospel and never your performance. If you’re surrounded by a bunch of people that take things too seriously, you’re going to have the life knocked out of you. Yes, life might be really tough. And we want to have people who find themselves emotionally mature enough to lament with us. But we also need people who find themselves emotionally mature enough to laugh with us. Both of those flow from the gospel.
[1] https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/new-years-resolution-seriously/
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Gustavo Spindula
Mike Leake is husband to Nikki and father to Isaiah and Hannah. He can be the lead pastor at Calvary of Neosho, MO. Mike is the writer of Torn to Heal and Jesus Is All You Need. His writing house is http://mikeleake.net and you possibly can connect with him on Twitter @mikeleake. Mike has a latest writing project at Proverbs4Today.
