I posted to Facebook the other day asking for requests of topics to write about here on the blog. A friend of mine, Tim Holmes, requested the topic of selfishness and I immediately thought of a dozen reasons not to write this post.
However, this is a topic we don’t hear enough about. So, Tim, this is for you.
A lie: the single most dangerous thing on the planet.
The Devil would rather have you think the thought than do the deed.
— Adrian Rodgers
Why is that? Because he who controls the mind of the people controls the actions of the people. Satan is so good at what he does that we often don’t give him credit for it. Actually, this next verse speaks specifically to you readers. John says:
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
–John 8:44
Who reading this has ever told a lie? Well, at least you obeyed one commandment when you told that lie. Did you know it is Biblical, though twisted and morally unfounded, to tell a lie. God says to honor our father and mother, when we tell a lie, we honor the Devil, the father of lies, our sin father.
So, why all of this talk about lies, liars, and lying? I’m getting to that, just bear with me. The single most powerful lie that came into existance is you. That’s right: you. You are a lie. Your life, your existance, your purpose, it’s all one big whopper of a lie.
How so? How is life a lie? It’s a lie because we’ve been hoodwinked into thinking that it’s about us. Well, let me just say this and get it out of the way: stop worshipping yourself! Every time you prioritize yourself over others, you are being selfish. Allow me to put this in simple terms: anything you do that is not about others is selfish.
Please refer to the list below for practical examples:
- Someone from Finland = Fin-ish
- Someone from Poland = Pol-ish
- Someone from England = Engl-ish
- Someone from Selfland = Self-ish
The “ish” suffix is applied in substitution of the word “land”. These instances imply belonging to a country, identification with an area of origin or residence. Those who live in Selfland are identified as people who are absorbed, spend most of their time, and have taken residence in theirselves.
The Bible says that we are citizens of Heaven, not citizens of earth. We should be Heavenish, identified as Heavenlanders, that the world would recognize our lives as being lived for Heaven.
There are indications and distinctions from culture to culture and country to country that quickly help us identify people from those cultures or countries. Things like accent, skin tone, height, mannerisms, and facial distinctions are indicative of a certain area of the world and culture. As a Christian, as a person, it isn’t hard for people to determine where you live, if you are Heavenish or Selfish.
Areas To Watch Out For-
- Your talk: you can’t be selfish with your words, don’t hoard them. When we walk by instead of stopping to say “hi”, we are being selfish. When we don’t pay people compliments because it might make us uncomfortable, we’re being selfish.
- Your walk: the way you live says where you live, whether it be Heaven or Selfland. Our walk, how we live, what we do makes a difference. Lending a hand to others is the thing that is most commonly recognized as unselfishness. Holding a door, offering a chair, carrying groceries are all ways we show unselfishness. Conversely, the failure to do those things is often outright selfishness.
- Your look: this one is a little meticulous for some, but the way you express yourself to others comes down to a matter of selfishness. Something as simple as a smile can be an unselfish gesture.
Up to this point, I’ve been very specific as to physical selfishness. But really, physical anything is a result of internal or spiritual initiative. Selfishness is an internal disease that exists in every human being. Pride is selfishness, hate is selfishness, happiness is selfishness, even love, in an earthly sense, is selfishness. From our first cry to our last, life is about us.
For this reason, I contend that life is worthless, worth nothing, of absolutely no worth at all… Without Christ. Christ is the ultimate counteraction to selfishness. What was selfish about loving someone who hated Him? What was selfish about coming to earth as an infant and enduring human life when He could’ve had glory and praises in Heaven’s beauty? What was selfish about dying for idiots, pedophiles, embezzlers, liars, murderers, rapists, jaywalkers, thieves, deceiver, the corrupt, the perverted, and the unjust?
Jesus Christ was the ultimate example of an unselfish life. Without Him, there is no such thing. It stands to reason that if the epitome of unselfishness moves into the life of perfect selfishness, one of the two must flee. So, you have a choice: accept Christ and the drastic change a life lived for Him entails, or push Him away and stay the same, selfish person that you’ve always been.
But, I’ll tell you one thing. No one was ever led to Christ by a person who was totally wrapt up in themself. Life isn’t about you, it can’t be. The universe couldn’t handle life being about anyone other than God. Creation would rise in tummult and uproar, unable to contain itself.
The way I see it, there are only two options on the shelf. You can serve God, or you can serve self.
As always, thanks for reading.
—the anonymous novelist
the anonymous novelist 