Avoiding the God Complex

This post may be a bit controversial and may not interest those of you who are in the States, but I really hope to spark some discussion in the missionary community here and around the world. This has been in my heart to write this for a long time because I really do see falling prey to the "God complex" as such a real possibility for myself and other Americans, whether missionaries or non profits.

What exactly is meant by the term "God complex"? There are several variations to this phrase, but the one which I want to address is this, (and this is my own definition). "The attitude of a person because of nationality, social, educational or financial status, who sees themselves as having the answers and the resources to "save" the world, and because of this they begin to see themselves as "godlike" in their ability to affect or bring change in the lives of others less fortunate."

Living here in Honduras I am amazed at how often the opportunity to portray myself, if I were to choose to do so, as "special", "important", "extraordinary", "gifted" or, well..."Godlike" occurs. Here's an example. Several months ago I sat in a community meeting about a broken water well that needed repaired. I had, through the help of a friend, made the offer to repair the well and supply the pump if they would do several things on their own. In this meeting I was treated with an overabundance of respect. I was thanked effusively...to the point where I actually became embarrassed. Later I will tell you how I responded.

So here's the reality.

Because of my nationality, first and foremost, and because of my purse strings or the purse strings I have access too secondarily, I am often placed in a position that I am very uncomfortable with. That of being perceived as greater or more important than I really am. Because of my citizenship I can open doors here that are closed to most others. If you could see my phone contact list you would be amazed at who I can call on. And that is true for almost all Americans here who are here to bring help and aid. So for just a moment, let's get real. Most of us Americans living in third world countries are at best, at best, mid level managers and would probably find it difficult to compete in the job market back home. Take myself for instance. I'm a truck driver for crying out loud. Why should I, of all people have access to top government officials here? I certainly wouldn't back home. And yet a conversation with the President of Honduras is not out of the question.

I remind myself of this fact almost daily. I am a truck driver. True, like most of us here I want to help. My heart breaks to see the issues this country faces and I know everyone else here feels the same. That is why, if we really want to be of value, we must resist the urge to see ourselves as more than who we really are, because pride is a very odious and obvious character trait.

Here's what happens if we don't. We become prideful, we insist on having things done in our American way. We have an arrogant attitude when we speak to people in authority. We complain about all the things we don't like about the country. In short, we set ourselves above those we came to serve. We become "gods" looking to be served.

How can we avoid this temptation to think more highly of ourselves than is deserved. Here's a couple of ways I do it, and then I close with how I ended the community meeting.

• Remind yourself daily of why you came. Was it to serve, to bring relief, to bring the Gospel? Ask the question, "Is my attitude helping or hurting what I came to do?
• Remind yourself that it was not you who ordained that you should be born in the USA with all the advantages that has brought you, and not in some hopeless slum in San Pedro Sula.
• Remind yourself that from childhood you have been encouraged to dream, to become educated and that for you, really, everything usually does turn out alright.
• If you are a believer, remind yourself that it is only by the grace of God that you are who you are.
• Remind yourself that you are a guest in this country, and an uninvited one at that (most likely)
• Remind yourself that your projects, your ideas of how things should be done are no more than that. Yours.
• And last, but not least, put a job application out to the corporate world in the States from time to time.

Ok, so how did I close that meeting? Well, I use this approach more than any other to keep myself humble and avoid falling into the God complex trap. After seven or eight effusive thank yous, I finally said this to them. "I appreciate your gratitude, I really do, but I am no different than you. Each morning when I get up I like to think of God, the real one, opening his toolbox, sliding open the drawers. I like to picture him digging around in there, the same way I do when I want a Phillips screwdriver and not a flat. I see Him digging around in the toolbox, he picks me up and says, yes, this is the tool that I need to use today to bless my children in Siguatepeque with a well that works so they can have water to drink. And He takes me out and sets me in the middle of a community meeting in a poor barrio on the outskirts of town that needs water."

That is what I told them, and that is what I believe.