On the First Commandment, Ego, and Where We Place Our Trust
Tonight in OCIA we learned about the 10 Commandments. Which I’ve known about them, but tonight I thought of them in a whole new light.
The first three Commandments concern love of God, and the other seven love of neighbor.
In the Catechism (2055):
“Which commandment in the law is the greatest?”
Jesus replies: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
The 1st Commandment really spoke to me:
“I am the Lord your God; you shall have no other gods before me.”
It’s not only about rejecting false pagan gods, but also about who (or what) holds first place in your heart, trust, and identity.
Idolizing people. When you rely on them more than God.
You look to them for worth, security, or meaning.
That you fear losing them more than you fear being separated from God.
The relationship becomes your source of peace, identity, or validation.
If losing someone feels like losing yourself, that’s a sign the 1st Commandment is being strained.
An invitation back to God.
When Ego becomes idolatry
Wanting to be the best
Needing to be admired
The First Commandment isn’t only about rejecting false gods.
It’s about what takes first place in our hearts.
Ego becomes idolatry when my worth depends on being seen, chosen, or admired. When approval shapes my peace more than God does. When I start defining myself by how I’m perceived rather than who I am in Him.
At that point, the self quietly takes God’s place.
The First Commandment calls me back, not with shame, but with clarity.
It reminds me that my identity isn’t something I earn, protect, or perform for.
God doesn’t ask me to worship myself.
He asks me to trust Him.
And when God is first, ego no longer has to be
Healthy confidence looks like:
Knowing you are loved without having to prove it
Using your talents without needing constant applause
Being able to say, “This is who God made me to be, and that’s enough.”
The 1st Commandment is God saying:
Let Me be the one you lean on
Let Me define your worth
Let Me love you first