Are you feeling a sense of hurt, loneliness, anger, jealousy, or fear and you can`t quite put your finger on it? Or maybe you see yourself as accomplished regarding the holidays, and yet, something seems amiss. Or try this one, maybe you feel like you`ve done everything you can for those around you and yet they don`t seem to appreciate it. Stop. Grab God`s word. Read it. And then walk to the closest mirror and take a good look at what`s staring back at you.
If we look at the roots of any issue that we are struggling with or fighting through in our lives, often it is our selfishness at the core of the matter. The worst part of selfishness is that we cannot see it most of the time. Others can see it in us, just as we can see it in others like a hawk sees a mouse in a wheat field. Selfishness and self-centeredness are at the root of all of our sins.
Selfishness is the opposite of the attributes of love. It is not patient, kind, loyal, merciful, good, cheerful, helpful, or any other characteristic that true love possesses according to Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:1-13.
Selfishness will keep us from the maturity it takes to look in the mirror and ask ourselves the tough questions. Selfishness says, “Don`t look here” or “look the other way.” Selfishness will cause us to find a scapegoat. It is the root of gossip. Gossip takes the focus off of ourselves and puts others in the spotlight. Gossip also fosters a false sense of security as we build ourselves up by tearing others down. It feeds our ego as others chime in and agree with our assessment of the subject of our gossip. It feeds our core of selfishness. But actually, it takes the focus off of the truth about our lack of love.
If we read Paul`s list of the characteristics of love in 1 Corinthians 13, we can look at each of them and see that selfishness is a direct opposite to them or is in direct opposition to the flow of this attribute from our hearts. If I am finding it difficult to be patient with someone, could it be that I want to get on with my day, my plans, or I want to tell my story but they just won`t shut up? For example, have you seen someone that is so self-centered that their lips are perched, ready to move into action, before the person they are supposedly listening to can finish a sentence? Now, of course, sometimes we are excited, and we are speaking in a quick back and forth with a friend—that`s not the example I mean to give. I`m talking about that person that can never stop their mind long enough to listen to another person, even if that person is a bit annoying or even boring. Sometimes being selfless is listening to others and not speaking. We are just there for them. We just listen because it makes them feel important. It is an example of love. An example of patients.
Paul tells us that “…love is patient…” in the fourth verse of 1 Corinthians 13. In the first three verses he tells us that if we do and say right things and yet do not have love, we are a noisy gong or a clanging symbol. In other words, we are useless and irritating. I pray today that I can look in the mirror, study Paul`s words about the attribute of patience, and pray that God will help me display a real patience, true love, and a true selflessness to my fellow man. Just for today.
No comments:
Post a Comment