Narcissism
https://www.google.com.au/#q=Narcissism
According to the Google definition, it means:
- excessive interest in or admiration of oneself and one’s physical appearance.
- extreme selfishness, with a grandiose view of one’s own talents and a craving for admiration, as characterizing a personality type.
- self-centeredness arising from failure to distinguish the self from external objects, either in very young babies or as a feature of mental disorder.
This word has popped into my head a lot recently. Maybe it’s due to the election – let’s face it, the political world sure does have a strong narcissistic feel about it these days. Whatever the reason behind my word to life association, the angst this word has inspired in me has forced some serious contemplation.
What is it to have narcissistic tendencies? i.e. It’s all about ME.
As Christians we know the greatest commandment isn’t about us:
He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” Luke 10:27 (NIV)
But the world we live in is narcissistic to the core. I could go into detail about the ME elements of social media and the ‘what’s in it for me’ voter platforms, but what I really want to talk about is the serving vs. being served scale of Christian selling.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not sitting here in my ivory tower casting forth my judgment upon the narcissistic masses. I know, full well, that I’ve subscribed to this evil. I like to think it was always without design, but I do know I have never gotten away with it. Mostly because the Lord reminders me of His call to be humble. Like this verse:
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves. Philippians 2.3 (NIV)
But who does that these days?
We should. We are His servants.
As authors, it’s hard to get the scale right. We all need to sell our books. We would all love people to read them, and it seems a little crazy to be sinking a heap of support into someone else’s work when we have so little time to devote to promoting our own.
And don’t get me wrong—we MUST promote our own books. I’ve always been a big advocate about working for your own work. My contemplation is regarding the scale—the balance between accepting support and being supportive of others.
This isn’t a call to finger point or judgment (how can any of us be guiltless!). It’s a call to contemplation, and, I hope, a call to action. As our annual Christian writer’s conference approaches, let us band together to support each other—all of us. Fiction and non-fiction. Published and unpublished. Teacher and learner.
And remember: Writing for the glory of God means it’s never about me and my work, or even you and your work. As Christians, it’s about Him and HIS work.
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 (NIV).
Love it!
Thanks for reading, Wendy. Never and easy topic.
Well done Rose
Thanks, Jenny. Your support means the world to me. You have always lifted me up and given me great hope in my writing. Love your selflessness and love for all us writers.
Hi I loved this blog, and oh so very true! Thank you for posting this! God Bless you.
Thank you, Alicia. Not an easy topic and I’m certainly guilty of having made mistakes and allowing imbalances in this area. Now I know it’s all about keeping your eyes on Jesus. Everything else falls into place. xoxo
It’s a tightrope! To walk in humility and promote yourself as an author seems like a paradox. However, if we write for the good of others, to encourage, bring hope, or even just entertain, our legacy will be richer than if we do it all out of selfish ambition.
There’s the rub!
I spoke to a group of girls yesterday and they asked me why I write. Good question!
I write to help people work things out in faith and life generally. That’s my big goal.
Would I like to be a famous writer?
In my heart of hearts, I’d have to admit yes. But what would I be famous for? Hopefully, helping people.
Thanks for sharing this, Rose. 😊
Elaine, I hear you. I often joke that I’m no household name, but being known for helping people would be a lovely thing.
But then, my sister who works in aged care is known for her gentle spirit and loving nature. She isn’t famous in the big world, but at her workplace, she’s a superstar. She’s doing exactly what the Lord has for her to do and is making a wonderful impact.
I guess at the end of the day, it isn’t fame or talent or book sales or accolades that make us good servants, but the heart to serve.
Having said that – we are also told to dream. All very much a delicate balance that is only achievable through a relationship with our Lord.
Love this post, Rose. We all make choices in how we prioritise our time and energy and also the money that we invest in our writing journey. Author self-promotion is something authors can’t avoid, but I believe it’s the way authors go about self-promoting that makes all the difference, The ‘all-about-me’ style of self-promotion can be ugly to watch. The authors who have a collaborative approach and a genuine desire to help others and make the effort to bless others by volunteering in writing organisations and promoting books by other authors will discover the joy of being part of a community of writers. This approach also helps writers to manage the inevitable jealousy and envy that will hit all of us at different times, especially if we spend too much time on social media that encourages and feeds narcissism. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and words of wisdom with us. 🙂
I agree, Narelle – it is a great joy to be a part of this community of writers, and balance is not easy to achieve. Having said that, I am humbly proud of our Australasian group – there is genuine love, respect, and supportive spirit amongst us.
Well said, Rose. At our Aussie Omega conferences we see this in action. Speaking of Omega, early bird conference registration for Sydney in October closes soon in mid-July. 🙂