Way back, when I was young, Frank Sinatra had a world hit with his song ”My Way”.
I liked the song then, because the lyrics spoke volumes of strength of will, independence, and ”I don´t give a damn what people think or say” to my youthful and rebellious nature.
It still speaks to me, but in a different way now.
Nowadays it makes me think of Isaiah 53, where the mother of all sin is described.
”All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his own way”.
”To his own way”.
”I´d like to live my life ”my way”, to do this and that ”my way”, in my opinion everything ought to be the way I like it, this is what I want, regardless of what is said in the Bible” – that´s what we human beings are hearing every day from our three best friends: ”Me”, ”Myself” and ”I”…
Maybe that´s why a song like ”My Way” became so popular?
Because it describes so well what man wants to be and do?
To never have to kneel to anyone, to have no regrets, to be strong enough to always stand tall in defence of one´s own rights, and at last be able to face the end with full confidence that I did nothing wrong, I don´t need to apologize for the way I have lived, least of all I need anybody´s forgiveness!
Good as it may sound in our ears, this is still the attitude and way of living that brought mankind into such a dead end, that Jesus had to come and take all our iniquity, all the rotten fruits of all our myways, upon Himself
A lot of people have taken their myway-attitude to such extremes that they actually tries to elevate themselves to be God´s equals in order to not have to bow down to any higher authority.
I say this because anyone, who claims to know how to discern evil from good, who wants to be the one who decides where the borderline between right and wrong, accepable and unacceptable should be drawn, is taking the place of God.
And there are Christians, who give God a little space in their lives, and no more, a little religious bubble, that is safely closed off from the decisions of life and choices of future paths, since they still want to have their own way in so many things.
To put it bluntly, what they are thinking, maybe not consciously, but still are thinking is a ”If God wants the same as I want, then I´ll do as God wants, but if God don´t want what I want, then I´ll do as I want!”
Which, of course, also is the same as taking the place of God for oneself.
Well, here is the lyrics of ”My Way”.
As accurate a description of man´s rebellion, pride, and futile attempt to serve as his own god, even to the point where his creed becomes a ”If I don´t own myself, if I´m not in control, then I have nothing!” as I have ever heard!
”And now, the end is near;
And so I face the final curtain.
My friend, Ill say it clear,
I´ll state my case, of which Im certain.
I´ve lived a life thats full.
I´ve traveled each and every highway;
And more, much more than this,
I did it my way.
Regrets, I´ve had a few;
But then again, too few to mention.
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption.
I planned each charted course;
Each careful step along the byway,
But more, much more than this,
I did it my way.
Yes, there were times, I´m sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew.
But through it all, when there was doubt,
I ate it up and spit it out.
I faced it all and I stood tall;
And did it my way.
Ive loved, Ive laughed and cried.
Ive had my fill; my share of losing.
And now, as tears subside,
I find it all so amusing.
To think I did all that;
And may I say – not in a shy way,
No, oh no not me,
I did it my way.
For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught.
To say the things he truly feels;
And not the words of one who kneels.
The record shows I took the blows -
And did it my way! ”