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Home Search Topics Contact About | The Me First WorldFriends, we live in a me-first world. As we look around it, we can see that the vast majority of individuals in it serve themselves. Everything they do is for themselves. When they do something for others, they do it so the others will do something for them. One hand washes another is their motto. They are not the least bit ashamed of their selfishness. There is a small minority of individuals in the world that serve others unselfishly. They are called Christians. Some Christians serve others some of the time. Some Christians serve others as much as they serve themselves. Mature Christians seem to do more for others than for themselves. Where am I in this matter? I am not always in the right place. And where are you? Genuine unselfishness is the mark of a Christian. Unselfishness toward one*s family doesn*t count for much. That is largely unselfishness toward an extension of yourself. The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, strangers and enemies. Loving them is the proof in the pudding. Do you love those others more now than you did the first day you were saved. A Christian who grows will love others more and more. I need to outgrow my me-first attitude. How about you? Acts 20:35: I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Selfish people are their own worst enemies. They do themselves more harm than good. They deprive themselves of the best blessings. When I walk in the flesh I am my own worst enemy. I believe that giving refers to all of our resources, our finances, our time and our energy. Another wonderful resource is our prayers. When we pray, do we pray more for others, or do we pray more for ourselves? Many have the excuse that they cannot give to others. They deceive themselves. If they can give things to themselves, they can give things to others. The Bible encourages us to serve God. He has need of nothing but we have a need to serve Him. Sometimes we might serve Him alone but if we are not serving others too, we are not truly serving Him. Matthew 25:34-40: Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.It is not wise to expect too much from those in the me-first world. To a great extent, a wise Christian will be able to discern whether the people he encounters are part of the me-first world or the body of Christ. He will be able to trust those in the body of Christ and have fellowship with them. He will know that he should pray for the salvation of those in the me-first world and know that he should witness to them and share the gospel with them. He will also know that he won*t be able to share complete fellowship with them until they become Christians and he won*t be able to trust them as much as he can trust Christians. 2 Corinthians 6:14: Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? |
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