Whether we realize it or not, we’re all on a quest to discover who we are. We categorize ourselves in a multitude of ways: gender, race, generation, college major, career, political party, zodiac sign, Enneagram number, Hogwarts house. We take tests to tell us which of just sixteen personalities we are, what our learning style […]
An Exploration of the Western Self
“Hitler had won” — or so perceived the aged Holocaust survivor Kivas Rieff in his final days.1 The world had become graceless — the West was now contemptible on account of its cultural decay, and there was something tumultuous permeating the climate in the 21st century which Kivas sensed with perfect clarity — he had […]
The Slowing of Self
Imagine a Vanderbilt student on a late August day: more running than walking to class, glistening with sweat in the late morning sun, entrapped internally in racing thoughts yet subject externally to the growing buzz of campus. This was me. The pace of my sneakers hitting the pavement exemplified my belief that if I was […]
Pursuing Self-Denial
Ingrained in our culture is an unapologetic focus on self. From social media to self-help books, and even casual words between friends who say the phrases, “Focus on yourself,” or, “You do you,” we are indelibly reminded of the centrality of a positive focus on self. Jesus disagrees. His word on the matter is simple: […]
“Forgive Those Who Trespass Against Us”
I often stare into the flashing lights of my radio station control board wondering if anybody is actually listening. With the busy nature of everyone’s lives amidst a raging pandemic, I imagine the number is quite low. So you can imagine my delight when I received a letter from a self-proclaimed “long-time listener” personally addressed […]
Rewriting the Narrative of Shame
What is shame? A small voice whispers, “something is wrong with you; you should be better; you should have it all together.” Many of us have heard this whisper of insufficiency whether it concerns our appearance, emotions, or behavior. At the core of these whispers, there are lies that tell us we are unworthy of […]