Selfish: concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself : seeking or concentrating on one's own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others.
Self preservation: preservation of oneself from destruction or harm.
These definitions should be able to clear up what I am talking about. Have you ever heard of fight or flight response? It is the instance when someone or something is in danger and the person or animal chooses to fight the danger or run from it. This is self preservation if you are getting attacked and you fight or run to keep your life that is not selfish.
What is being selfish? Well the most simple way that I can put it is thinking of I before all other things. This means that in most or all instances when you have to make a decision you think of the benefits and outcomes as they relate to you personally and nothing else. As a Christian you are called to put God before all things first:
Matthew 22:34-37 (New International Version, ©2011)
The Greatest Commandment
34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a]
Then you are called to put others before yourself:
Matthew 22:39 (New International Version, ©2011)
39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[a]
This alone shows that there is no room for selfishness. Our country and our world is currently built on instant self gratification. This shows through our use of credit cards, car loans, loan defaults, and repossessions. It also shows in the way we treat people. Television shows about business and comedy show us that we should be cut throat to succeed here in this world. Again as a Christian we are not of this world, this is just our temporary home.
John 15:19 (New International Version, ©2011)
19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
So why would we fall into this trap? We fall into this trap because we feel entitled to the things of this world and the life everyone else has. Well I have news for you, we don't deserve anything. We have been gifted with life and grace from God, we have no rights to anything. We should find joy in a relationship with God rather than trying to fill it with things of this world.
So what can we do to build this relationship? If you are a Christian who knows God then the first thing you should do is put him first. Read and study his word, spend time with other believers. Above all speak to him in prayer. These are the stepping stones of building a relationship with God. If you start to do this you will find that your motives in your life will change and your love and concern for others will grow. Before you notice it you will be making decisions based on the characteristics that God wants us to have. This will lead to decisions that are not "I" based but God based and other person based. This will be hard at first as this is a constant struggle and way of life. It is not easy to follow God but it is joyful when you have a relationship with him. It is something more fulfilling than anything of this world. If you are not a Christian and would like to learn more about what I have written hear just leave a comment and I would enjoy having a conversation with you and answere what questions I can for you.
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