Megalomaniac

What is megalomania? The dictionary says it is "a delusional mental illness that is marked by feelings of personal omnipotence and grandeur." Some of the Roman emperors were megalomaniacs. They demanded to be worshiped as gods. Hitler was a classic megalomaniac. He sought to rule the world, eliminate all non-Aryans, and create the 1000 year Reich. I think a lot of people would agree that Donald Trump is a megalomaniac. He has an obsession with power, delusions of being more important than he is, and adamant that all agree with him about how powerful and important he and his ideas are. I think that most would agree that these are delusions, not reality.

And, of course, the accusation is out there quite often that God is a megalomaniac. I mean, look at the facts. He demands obedience. His primary concern is His own glory. He ranks our primary failure as falling short of His own glory. He classifies violating His glory as a crime punishable by eternal torment. He demands worship. Aren't these the clear symptoms of megalomania?

There is a fundamental difference between your standard narcissistic megalomaniac and God. Can you guess what it is? I stated it in the first paragraph. "I think that most would agree that these are delusions, not reality." The fundamental difference between your standard megalomaniac and God is His view reflects reality. Roman emperors were not gods; God is. Hitler did not rule the world; God does. Donald Trump's obsession with power and the importance of who he is is not real; God's is. And so it goes. God is not a megalomaniac because God's view of His greatness and glory and importance and power is accurate.

"Okay, fine," some might respond, "but why all the demand for praise and such? Isn't that a bit over the top?"

Our problem here is that we think of God as a man, just like us. He's not. He actually is "holy, holy, holy" (Isa 6:3; Rev 4:8), Sovereign (1 Tim 6:15), worthy of praise (2 Sam 22:4; Psa 18:3; Rev 4:11) and more. To a megalomaniac we might say, "You think you're all that, but you're not." He really is "all that".

C.S. Lewis pointed out another aspect of this concept. It is true that God is indeed the ultimate in glory. Not a megalomaniac. But Lewis suggested another reason why God demands praise. It's not for Himself. Lewis said that humans have this particular inborn mechanism in us that requires, in order for us to enjoy something, that we express it. You can see this in a simple interaction with a lover and his love. He sees her and cannot help but say, "You are so beautiful." If he keeps it to himself, he is stifled. The expression is required to fulfill the enjoyment of the love. Lewis says that God demands that we praise Him in order that we might be fulfilled in our joy in Him. I think that's there, too.

We know of megalomaniacs. We might even know some personally. They have and do exist. God, on the other hand, differs completely with that category in that God is indeed as glorious as He thinks He is. For Him to be "humble" as we might expect of others would simply be a lie. He is the ultimate good. And, in order to complete the joy of His creation, He requires that we express that truth, not as a harsh command, but as a gift to us. Thus, when we fall short of His glory (Rom 3:23), it is to our own detriment.