11.
SELF CENTEREDNESS VERSUS GOD CENTEREDNESS
     MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT AS INFANTS, WE CONSIDER OURSELVES
THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE.  IF WE CRY, WE ARE FED, HELD, OR
CHANGED; ALL OF OUR NEEDS ARE ALMOST INSTANTLY MET.  WE CAN
PERCEIVE OF OUR PARENTS OR OF OUR CARE GIVERS, BUT WE THINK WE
ARE OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE ACCORDING TO OUR OWN PERCEPTION.  
AS WE GROW OLDER, SOME OF US REALIZE WE ARE NOT THE CENTER OF THE
UNIVERSE.  IF WE GET YOUNGER SIBLINGS, WE REALLY DISCOVER THAT TO
BE TRUE AND THAT WE HAVE BEEN SOMEHOW DISPLACED AS THE CENTER OF
THE UNIVERSE.
     UNFORTUNATELY, THIS EGOCENTRISM IS OFTEN PRESENT LONG PAST
INFANCY, SOMETIMES EVEN INTO ADULTHOOD.  WHEN THIS HAPPENS TO ANY
EXTENT, SELF-CENTERED PEOPLE ACT AS IF EVERYONE SHOULD TAKE CARE
OF THEIR NEEDS.  THEY ARE AFRAID THEY WON'T BE TAKEN CARE OF SO THEY
TEND TO LIE AND MANIPULATE EVERYONE AROUND THEM TO GET THEIR
NEEDS MEET.  THEY THINK EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW WHO THEY ARE AND
GIVE THEM EVERYTHING THEY NEED.  SOMETIMES, EVEN BEFORE THEY EVEN
ASK FOR IT.  IT IS AS IF EVERYONE ELSE SHOULD BE TELEPATHIC AND READ
THEIR MINDS AND KNOW WHAT THEY WANT.  THEY THINK EVERYONE SHOULD
GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT BEFORE THEY ASK FOR IT AND ON A SILVER
PLATTER, AND WHILE WE ARE AT IT, WE'D BETTER GIVE THEM TWICE AS
MUCH AS THEY NEED, JUST BECAUSE.
     GOD CENTEREDNESS IS BEING AWARE THAT GOD IS IN CHARGE OF
EVERYTHING, AND THAT WE ARE NOT IN CHARGE OF ANYTHING EXCEPT THE
FOOT WORK AND THAT WE WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF.  WHEN WE ACCEPT THIS,
WE CAN LEARN TO DEPEND ON GOD TO DO THE THINGS WE CAN'T DO (IN
GOD'S TIME, NOT OUR OWN).  HOPEFULLY, WE ALSO LEARN TO BEHAVE
OURSELVES USING THE SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLES THAT GOD LOVINGLY TEACHES
US, AS WE BECOME WILLING TO PRACTICE THEM IN OUR LIVES.   LASTLY, WE
LEARN THAT THE WHOLE WORLD IS NOT THERE TO MEET OUR NEEDS.  WE
ARE IMPORTANT TO GOD AND TO OURSELVES, BUT WE ARE NOT OVER
IMPORTANT TO OURSELVES.  THIS IS CALLED HUMILITY.
     ONE DEFINITION I HAVE HEARD AND LIKED FOR HUMILITY IS NOT
THINKING LESS OF YOURSELF, BUT THINKING OF YOURSELF LESS OFTEN.  
THIS IS THE DEFINITION I LIKE FOR HUMILIATION: BEING FORCED BY YOUR
ACTIONS AND/OR THE ACTIONS OF OTHERS TO THINK OF YOURSELF AS LESS
THAN.   MOST OF THE TIME I HAVE FOUND THAT IF YOU ARE NOT HUMBLE, YOU
WILL BE HUMILIATED.