Selfishness

Mom was preparing some delicious pancakes for her two sons Randy, aged five, and Robin who was three. But as the cooking proceeded, the boys started to argue over who would get the first pancake.

Mom saw her opportunity to give an important lesson: If Jesus was sitting here today, he would say, “Let my brother have the first pancake. I can wait.”  Randy turned to his young brother and said, Robin—you be Jesus.

Folks, that’s about how it is in many homes. It is a simple story, but it shows how selfish we often think and behave. I think the root of probably every problem we face is selfishness—wanting our own way; spending too much time thinking about what we want or the things we’d like to have.

The great danger at home and everywhere is that people close their hearts and become selfish. We worship pleasure, comfort, and independence. Look at the consequences starting with family life.

Selfishness ruins relationships and many lives. We act selfishly when we spend too much time thinking about what we want.

When a person is selfish, they only care about their own needs, wants, and desires. The person is focused on self-giving and is only concerned about himself or herself.  It is said that selfishness is that detestable vice which no one will forgive in others, and no one is without himself.

“Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.” Philippians 2:4

You can be so absorbed in your own issues, your own problems, your own plans that you never help others.

Paul wrote, “Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Philippians 2:3-4 Paul means for us to care more about others than ourselves.

Why? Because that’s the way of Jesus. “He gave up everything and became a slave. Christ was humble. He obeyed God and even died on a cross” (see v. 5-7)

Jesus said, “If any of you want to be my followers, you must take up your cross (forget about yourself and get serious about the Christian walk every day).

Here are some quotes on selfishness: 

“The only thing necessary to change heaven into hell -- if God were to allow it -- is selfishness.” 

“Selfishness is mankind's fundamental defect. Selfish means: self-centered, self-serving, self-important.”

“At the root of every problem is selfishness.”

JAMES 3:16 “Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is also disorder and every kind of evil.”

All sin is selfish. No one ever sins for someone else -- we do it for selfish reasons. Divine love is the opposite of selfishness. Giving is the opposite of acting selfishly. We are products of a corrupt culture that teaches selfishness, so it's not unusual for us to think it's not so bad.

But you must die to selfishness -- or self-destruct. However, you're unable to change by yourself. You can't change the fruit without changing the root. That's why you must be born again! Only by receiving Jesus Christ and letting Him change you inwardly can you become a truly unselfish person.

No other "religion" teaches putting others first even to the point of loving your enemies. Only Christianity teaches you can be totally changed and become a person with a new nature. There is no cure apart from Jesus!

Here’s a simple prayer, “Jesus, please cure me of being selfish.”

 May we all be more selfless and Christlike!

Pastor Ken

• Each week:

Wednesday 7 PM -Prayer Meeting 

Friday 7 PM -Prayer for the Nation

Saturday 7 AM -Men's Bible and Breakfast

Sunday 9 AM -Sunday School, 10 AM Worship

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• P.S. This Sunday, April 27 -Missionary Chris Boda from India just called and his son and ministry partner is in the hospital with serious heart issues, and he is postponing his trip to America. Pastor Ken will give a message on Psalm 121.

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• Faith Fellowship -Our Forever Family, Luck, WI

• Ken Mettler, Pastor  715-475-7666