Tragically, he trusts the wrong people and records incorrect markings on his body and on the Polaroid pictures. Because he relies so heavily on the notes he leaves for himself, he makes horrific decisions because he trusted the wrong people. He was marked by the wrong influences.
Do you ever live with memory loss, forgetting who you are?
Like the character in Memento, we often listen to the wrong voices and are marked by the wrong influences. When we are marked by the wrong influences, our daily lives are tragic attempts to please ourselves. The bombardment of messages telling us that we exist for ourselves contributes to our spiritual amnesia. And the messages detailing narcissistic methods to enjoy life are plentiful.
In recent years, one of the most popular books in our culture was The Secret. The premise of the book is that you are the center of the universe, and you can attract all good things to yourself through your thoughts. The universe exists to serve you, and the secret is that you can attract greatness to yourself. In essence, you are your own god. So serve yourself. Jesus says the opposite.
If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all, and servant of all (Mark 9:35).
Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be a slave to all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life—a ransom for many (Mark 10:43-45).
God’s kingdom is an upside-down kingdom. In God’s economy, true greatness comes from serving. For Jesus, last is the new first. If you choose to be a servant now, you will be first for all of eternity. If you choose to serve in this brief life, you will be rewarded for all of eternity.
Jesus did more than speak about serving; He lived the reality of His upside-down kingdom. He set the example for us.
