Madonna and Ego

I'm fascinated by a quote I recently read from Madonna: "My drive in life comes from a fear of being mediocre.  That is always pushing me.  I push past one spell of it and discover myself as a special human being but then I feel I am still mediocre and uninteresting unless I do something else.  Because even though I have become somebody.  I still have to prove that I am somebody.  My struggle has never ended and I guess it never will." (Timothy Keller, The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness)

So, think of it... Madonna has more than most of us can ever imagine.  Madonna would be considered "successful" in the world's eyes.  Madonna is known for continuously reinventing both her music and image over and over again.  She has sold over 300 million records worldwide and is recognized as the best-selling female recording artist of all time by Guinness World Records.  Madonna has made it.  Right?

But there's a problem.  Madonna, like so many of us, sees her sense of self, her desire for self-worth, as not fulfilled  She is still trying to be somebody special.  No matter what great concert she had the night before, the next morning, she needs to do something else.  Madonna's ego is like a black hole.  Nothing satisfies.

Can you relate to Madonna?  Maybe our egos are like black holes as well.  We can be so consumed in our minds with trying to be "somebody" and feel happy if we outdo someone else...whether it be in our position, our prestige, our possessions or accomplishments.  Somehow, it just feels good.  Do we just live life always looking for that elusive 'stamp of approval?' Even Madonna, despite all her fame, has not found the ultimate approval she is looking for.

If I look to people for a positive verdict about myself, sooner or later I will be disappointed.  I may go for years and feel like I've won the approval and accolades from people, only to find it can change in a heartbeat.  I've come to realize that I cannot look to the world around me to give me the kudos I need. Only God's opinion matters.  Really.  Only God.  He loves you.  He cares for you.  He longs to have a relationship with you.  He is FOR you. No one else will love or approve of you like God.

"Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next person.  We say that people are proud of being rich, or cleverer or good-looking, but they are not.  They are proud of being richer, or cleverer, or better-looking than others.  If everyone else become equally rich, or clever, or good-looking there would be nothing to be proud about."  C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity