On Self-Actualization

"Self-actualization" is a psychological term meaning that a person's full human potential in all aspects is fulfilled. These aspects range from knowledge, creativity, the social and the spiritual. Wow! Who has attained their full human potential? The narcissist who promulgate such tripe, of course, would say they are pursuing self-actualization, which may be a modest way of a self-actualized person of putting their self on a pedestal without being obvious that they are magnifying themselves!

Who would psychologists suggest are self-actualized? Abraham Maslow appoints Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Aldous Huxley, Eleanor Roosevelt and Albert Einstein as self-actualized, among others. Some would add Nelson Mandela and Barack Obama!  The criteria used are things such as perception, the ability to resolve conflicting perspectives, who is respected and humble, one who is problem-focused, and one who accepts human nature. (Five Reasons Why Obama Is Mr. Self-Actualized; Caroline Presno; 2008).

It must be noted that Ms. Presno recognized the self-actualization in Obama before he was exposed to the world. That's similar to Mr. Obama winning the "Nobel Peace Prize" before he achieved any peaceful solutions and before he waged war in the middle east! Since his election, it's obvious to even the middle-school student, that Obama has little perception, can't resolve even perfunctory problems, is totally unfocused, who dictatorially attempts to change human nature and who is as narcissistic as any human can be! As such he is not self-actualized, but seethed in self-worship!

It would seem that the "progressive" wing of the world has different standards for excellence than does "normal" people. Progressives are of the mentality and character as is Obama, so whereas the world sees Obama as a loser to success, progressives see him as a deity for social justice. Self-actualization, as beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Seldom would normal Joe's even consider a concept as prideful as self-actualization. That's the venue of people who value their left-wing ideology to the extreme. Christians should look a self-actualization and reject it in totality!

Even Lincoln, who the entire nation venerates, was responsible for the deaths of 70,000 people by provoking an unnecessary and illegal war of the American peoples. If progressives had enough analytic machismo to even look at this issue, they would never deify Lincoln. He had a good heart and was outwardly humble, it appears, but his methods were inhumane as can be in trying to make society humane. His ability of "resolving dichotomies" was eliminating one of them by mass destruction and without negotiation for peaceful means! If I sound anti-Lincoln, I don't want to be, but that's where the facts lead!

In short, people with little discernment accept the tripe promulgated by the most liberal in society. Inquiring people should test what others disperse as some type of superlative human wisdom:

1 Thessalonians 5:21 (ESV) "But test everything; hold fast what is good."

Romans 12:2 (ESV) "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

So let us test "self-actualization".Let me take the liberty in calling this "the human potential movement". First off the "self" is the promotion of what humans are capable of being. The most prominent aspect of being human is our propensity of being selfish!

Philippians 2:21 (ESV) "For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ."

Ironically those who are self-actualized are perceived to be focused on the good of others. However, scripture says THEY ALL seek their own interests. Even Abraham Lincoln sought what was best for him and his causes.  Obama doesn't seek what's best for the people, but what HE has DETERMINED is best that fits his moral standard.  Although, Lincoln and Obama quote scripture often, their focus was/is not on Jesus Christ!

Let me point out that Jesus came to earth. He walked among the poor and saw slavery first hand. Jesus could have abolished slavery and eliminated poverty with one swift miracle, but both of those were part of the penalty for original sin. He came not for social justice, but that all men be saved. That's the ultimate "social justice", but Jesus made it voluntary. He never used force nor government dictates to make men love each other! He only asked that those who love him, also love others. That's true self-actualization and only one person was: Jesus Christ.

A person can never be self-actualized. Those aspects which personify that are not of the self!

1 John 3:17 (ESV)  "But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?

Not being "charitable" to those in need is not showing love for them. "Charity" and "love" in the Bible are synonymous!  We show love by caring for others and that demonstrates that we love Jesus. If Jesus had ended poverty, by what method would men have shown love for God?

Therefore, being Christlike is how men are "Christ-actualized".  The focus can never be on the "self" because that same "self" is "the flesh". What the flesh desires is not good:

Matthew 26:41b "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

 That of God (the Spirit) is opposed to that not of God (the flesh).  When men do things which edify the self, God is not edified. God fails to get the credit he's due, and he's a jealous God. Of whom is he jealous? Our God; our "Self".

The second word of "human potential movement" is "potential". We are only capable of God's plan. We are to do God's will.

Matthew 6:9 (ESV) Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread,
12 and forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from evil.

This prayer, and it's how we're told to pray, is God focused! The only suggestion that we have "potential" is "as we have forgiven".   Look at who has the potential or power here! Look at who we are to magnify! If we are Christians, we look toward heaven, we revere God's name, we desire his coming, we ask him for things, we seek his forgiveness, and we desire that he deliver us from evil!

These points do not point toward our potential, but God's! By grace we are what he wills us to be. We depend on the power of God for our needs, our protection and our hope. The only "potential" we have is to beg God! Yes, we're no more than beggars. That's our true potential!

How can a person who is a beggar and dependent on God for everything be self-actualized, having for human potential? That would be easy! We would be beggars and be self-actualized. In fact, God may see our potential as actualized when these beggars return the favor by being servants!

Mark 10:44  (ESV) "...and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

To be Christ-actualized we're to be as Christ! He was a servant and like him we should serve as well! When we reach our human potential we become slaves to others. That's the ultimate love.

Being a mere slave to others is "meekness". It's by that trait that we actualize Christ in ourselves.

 Matthew 5:5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."

This is when we turn to Christ for "actualization" and become servants. Our "meekness" is a peculiarity of Christ-actualized people. As such our reward is much! We will be blessed!

Was Einstein self-actualized? Is Obama? Society might recognize them as such because the world is not right now obedient to God! However, they may be of the "self", but that's not what's important. It's being of Christ! Was Einstein? Is Obama? Let's let God do the judging.