Selfishness

I was thinking today about selfishness. Selfishness is defined as devoted to or caring only for oneself; concerned primarily with one's own interests, benefits, welfare, etc., regardless of others.

We are called to love the Lord our God the most, that is putting Him first in our lives, being first we are called to do what He calls us to do, but if I am doing what I want to do, because that is what I feel like, then am I putting God first? No, I am being selfish, saying my way is greater than God's way, it isn't honoring to God at all. The Bible, God's word is very clear about how I am to be, if I am a child, I am to honor, respect my parents above myself. If I am a single adult, I am to honor God's word in how to be to my parents still, or to my boss or to other people. If I am married, God is clear about how I am to be to my spouse. There isn't any questions on it, because the Word of God clearly defines our roles, if I chose to do it my way, I am placing myself above God, I am saying I know better than the creator of the universe, because I am more important than Him. I am being selfish.

The Word of God is clear, it isn't not to be about self. When we make life about self, than life seems to fall apart, we have a lack of joy, peace, patience, self control, we worry more about what others think, than what God thinks. James 3:16 "For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice." Because we are making it about how I feel, what I want and how others view me, not what God wants. When we make it about what God wants, we put aside our childish ways of say my will, my toys, my things and we start looking at what God calls us to do and that is to walk humbly and growing in who God calls us to be. 1 Corinthians 13:11 "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me."

In marriages if selfishness is there, it will have a hard time surviving. God calls us to serve our spouse, but in the growing culture, we want what we want and that is it. It doesn't matter how our spouse feels or thinks, but can you imagine if both spouses are wanting to serve God the most? That changes everything, because no longer is it about my will, but God's will. That is such a change, such a different than what the world says, the world says do it for self, but God says do it to honor Him. Maybe if we change our thinking of why we are here, it isn't that God serves us, but we are here to bring God glory. Are we doing that when we worry more about self than Him?

With Eve, the serpent tempted her about herself, it was selfish desires and ambition, not about what God wanted. Today the Devil is using the same game, he is saying it is all about self, but God says make it about Him. The devil wants us to make it all about self, so when we are being selfish, when we are doing things that only bring me glory and only because I want to or do not want to, I am not bringing God glory, I am glorifying the devil, I am doing it the devils way, not God's way. Do you see how Eve sinned in the garden? Are we following in her footsteps or are we really serving God? It says in Matthew 6:24 ""No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." When we are trying to serve both God and ourselves it will not work, we must chose to serve only one. Who are you going to chose?

Here are additional scriptures that talk about selfishness and self-seeking.

Romans 2:8 "But for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury."

2 Corinthians 5:15 "And he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised."

Luke 9:23 "And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."

Proverbs 26:12 "Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him."

1 Corinthians 10:24 "Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor."

Philippians 2:3-4 "Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."

1 Corinthians 13:4-6 "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth."

Romans 15:1-3 "We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”"

James 3:16 "For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice."


Luke 21:8-9 "And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.”

Proverbs 21:15 "When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers."

Romans 6:16 "Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?"

Ephesians 5:21 "Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ."

Romans 12:1 "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."

1 John 2:15-16 "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world."

2 Timothy 3:1-17 "But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. ..."

Luke 17:33 "Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it."

Matthew 20:16 "So the last will be first, and the first last.”"

Romans 8:5 "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit."

Matthew 24:12 "And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold."

Revelation 3:15-17 "“‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked."

Romans 16:17-18 "I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive."

Romans 12:1-21 "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. ..."