In 1974, Frank Sinatra stood in front of a large crowd in Madison Square Garden and told his loyal fans that they were about to "do the national anthem, but you needn't rise." After just a few notes played and two words sung ("And now...") the crowd cheered at a song they recognized. Not "O Say Can You see," but these words:

And now the end is near and so I face the final curtain
My friend I'll say it clear, I'll state my case of which I'm certain
I've lived a life that's full, I traveled each and every highway
And more, much more than this, I did it my way.

The "national anthem." One we sing with fanfare and patriotic gusto. The other we live with (almost) unchecked resolve. "I am going to live my way" is the heart's cry for many and might be the greatest unquestioned mission statement of most of those who call themselves "Americans."

Jesus sees something different, though. He sees something different than we do about our desire to live it our way. He sees into our own lostness that comes from "doing it our way." Matthew says:

Matthew 9:36: ”When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

In the crowds of individual people who he walked among who were each (though not American) doing it their way, he looked past the pride and bravado and saw weariness and scatteredness. Jesus still looks at all of the crowds and (with compassion) sees how our self-guidance leads us to places we wouldn't go if we knew where we were really going...and knew what we were losing by not following Jesus' way.

Jesus' invitation to us is to his abundant life, but that abundant life never comes from living merely our own way...following our own course. Abundant life comes from turning our backs on our own selfish ways and following the One who welcomes us into his life...to being with the One who knows where the "life that's full" really is.