Ok, ok…so a lot of my most recent readings about sin and disconnect
led me to look up the mythological story about Narcissus (where we get the word
Narcissism, which relates to sin….but I’ll get into that later)
Proverbs 3:5-6 5
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own
understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your
paths straight.…
2 Timothy 3:1-7 ESV But understand this, that in the last days
there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers
of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful,
unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not
loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure
rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its
power. Avoid such people. ...
Proverbs 4:16 ESV For they cannot sleep unless they have
done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.
Titus 1:16 ESV They profess to know God, but they deny
him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
In Greek mythology, Narcissus (/nɑrˈsɪsəs/; Greek: Νάρκισσος, Narkissos)
was a hunter from Thespiae in Boeotia who was known for his
beauty. He was the son of the river god Cephissus and nymph Liriope. He
was proud, in that he disdained those who loved him. Nemesis noticed
this behavior and attracted Narcissus to a pool, where he saw his own
reflection in the water and fell in love with it, not realizing it was merely
an image. Unable to leave the beauty of his reflection, Narcissus drowned.
Narcissus is the origin of the term narcissism, a fixation with oneself.
Multiple versions of the myth have survived from ancient
sources. The classic version is by Ovid, found in book 3 of his Metamorphoses (completed
8 AD); this is the story of Narcissus and Echo. One day Narcissus was
walking in the woods when Echo, an Oread (mountain
nymph) saw him, fell deeply in love, and followed him. Narcissus sensed he was
being followed and shouted "Who's there?". Echo repeated "Who's
there?" She eventually revealed her identity and attempted to embrace him.
He stepped away and told her to leave him alone. She was heartbroken and spent
the rest of her life in lonely glens until nothing but an echo sound remained
of her. Nemesis, the goddess of revenge, learned of this story and decided
to punish Narcissus. She lured him to a pool where he saw his own reflection.
He didn't realize it was only an image and fell in love with it. He eventually
realized that his love could not be addressed and committed suicide.
An earlier version ascribed to the poet Parthenius of
Nicaea, composed around 50 BC, was recently rediscovered among the Oxyrhynchus
papyri at Oxford. Like Ovid's version, it ends with Narcissus
committing suicide. A version by Conon, a contemporary of Ovid, also
ends in suicide (Narrations, 24). In it, a young man named Aminias fell in
love with Narcissus, who had already spurned his male suitors. Narcissus also
spurned him and gave him a sword. Aminias committed suicide at Narcissus's
doorstep. He had prayed to the gods to give Narcissus a lesson for all the pain
he provoked. Narcissus walked by a pool of water and decided to drink some. He
saw his reflection, became entranced by it, and killed himself because he could
not have his object of desire
WOW!!!! Is all I can say. The story hits self-will squarely
and flush on the head. Narcissism is at the root of sin. We have convinced
ourselves that we know what we need and then we engage in prayer to ask God to
honor our will….How does that work? Narcissism
also causes us to read things into situations to help justify our actions…notice
how Nemesis and Echo are characters in the situation…our wrong actions creates
a Nemesis and leaves us hollow (with an echo)….now if that doesn't preach I don’t
know what will!
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