Anthropocentric

It's a fancy-sounding word -- "anthropocentric." It rolls off the tongue like a lead balloon. But hopefully you can see what it means. It refers to a worldview that puts Man at the center. Not men; Man. Mankind. Human beings. And, of course, if we're honest, by "man-centered" we mean "me." Humans as a whole believe that we are the point, the issue, the reason for everything. If we are philosophical atheists, we carefully prove that everything is meaningless ... except, of course, for us. If we are ardent theists, we argue diligently for the existence of a God ... whose highest concern is us. Genuine, sincere, Bible-believing Christians will admit at times that if God doesn't love them like they demand, then He's not God. Because at the core we all tend to be anthropocentric.

I suppose, in a sense, it is the definition of sin. Or, better, maybe, the sin nature. It is in our sin nature to choose to be supreme, to choose to be God. It was the serpent's temptation at the beginning. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (Gen 3:5) Claiming to be wise, we became fools and exchanged the Creator for the creature, the truth for a lie.

And now it's our abode. It's where we live. These days, for instance, we're told that if we don't embrace "their identity", whatever that might be, we're haters because, above all else, we are anthropocentric to the core. It's about "me" and you will submit. Even God considers us more important than Himself. I know ... sounds silly, but I've heard it again and again from dedicated believers. And if He does not submit, we are going to have a problem with Him.

It is so much a part of our core, placing God as subservient in some way to Man. We think He is just like us (Psa 50:21). It's an easy mistake to make because it's buried so deeply in us, but it is a mistake, and in so doing we fall short of the glory of God. Escaping the grips of this pervasive perception is a long and hard process, but just because it's difficult doesn't mean we ought not embark on the trip. Our task as believers is to elevate God to His rightful position. Perhaps we should do the hard work of doing that in our own hearts and minds first.