Reason #930
It's easy to only think about yourself. Selfishness comes naturally to all of us. Sure, there are some pretty selfless people in this world, but I feel we tend to err on the side of selfishness. All we can think about it what we want, when we want it, and how we want it to go. We think about how we'd do it if it were up to us, and frankly, we often believe it should be. After all, we're certain that we know the right and best way to go about everything.
I guess you could say it's not in our nature to consider others before considering ourselves. Now, I think moms do a pretty good job of this when it comes to children. I mean think about it, who is the one person who has constantly given up their wants to meet yours? Moms do an exceptional job of being selfless givers when it comes to their babies. But those babies grow up thinking only about themselves, rarely considering the feelings of others. Maybe you're thinking, "That's not me. I don't put myself before others." And while I'd like to consider myself more on the side of selflessness than selfishness, I have to stop and consider my actions. As the saying goes, "If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck."
I find myself praying for my own circumstances and situations a majority of the time. It's as if only my problems and worries matter. That maybe I believe I am the first to receive the Lord's attention and help and once my issues are worked out, He can move on to someone else. But what if we stopped thinking about ourselves and started thinking about other people more often? What if we actually remembered that conversation about the friend of a friend who is going through a divorce and we prayed for that person? What if our hearts were so burdened and broken for them as we thought about their plight that we lifted their request up to the Lord before our own? What if we concerned ourselves with the things that are going on with the world? What if we actually made it a point to pray God's protection and provision over the people who are desperately needing it rather than simply asking it for ourselves as we drive to our safe work environments where we'll receive good paychecks? What if we asked the Lord to bless the lives of our co-workers, even the ones we don't particularly get along with, rather than asking that He shower down His blessings solely on us? What if we prayed that God would give guidance to our leaders rather than asking that He'd make us the leader since we're pretty confident we'd do everything right? What if we asked God to heal our friend rather than asking Him to help us shake off the few pounds we've gained from a lack of discipline? And what if we asked Him to give us a heart to see people in the way He sees them rather than asking Him to change them to our liking? What if we realized that we aren't the only one in the world with needs and wants and desires? What if we actually thought of others, prayed for others, and considered others before ourselves?
"We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn’t live to please himself." - Romans 15:1-3
If we want to be like Jesus, we have to consider one another. It might mean that you have to sacrifice. It might mean that you don't get your way completely or at all. You may be inconvenienced and even pushed out of your comfort zone. Considering others might require more of you than you'd like to give. But you've been considered. You've been thought of. Jesus placed you before His own desires, and isn't that an incredible feeling? The fact that someone would go that far out of their way to consider you, that they would be so generous and kind and loving even though they didn't have to be, makes you see them in a different light doesn't it? Doesn't that make you appreciate them to the greatest degree? Selflessness is a beautiful thing when genuinely practiced, and selflessness is one of the best ways we reflect our God to a world that encourages us to live in selfish ways.
So consider them. Consider God's people. Consider the thoughts and feeling of those you come into contact with each day. Consider the Lord. And remember that, because Christ didn't live to please Himself, you, yourself, have been considered. Doesn't it feel good?
#930 - Because He considered us.
"Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too." - Philippians 2:3-4
I guess you could say it's not in our nature to consider others before considering ourselves. Now, I think moms do a pretty good job of this when it comes to children. I mean think about it, who is the one person who has constantly given up their wants to meet yours? Moms do an exceptional job of being selfless givers when it comes to their babies. But those babies grow up thinking only about themselves, rarely considering the feelings of others. Maybe you're thinking, "That's not me. I don't put myself before others." And while I'd like to consider myself more on the side of selflessness than selfishness, I have to stop and consider my actions. As the saying goes, "If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck."
I find myself praying for my own circumstances and situations a majority of the time. It's as if only my problems and worries matter. That maybe I believe I am the first to receive the Lord's attention and help and once my issues are worked out, He can move on to someone else. But what if we stopped thinking about ourselves and started thinking about other people more often? What if we actually remembered that conversation about the friend of a friend who is going through a divorce and we prayed for that person? What if our hearts were so burdened and broken for them as we thought about their plight that we lifted their request up to the Lord before our own? What if we concerned ourselves with the things that are going on with the world? What if we actually made it a point to pray God's protection and provision over the people who are desperately needing it rather than simply asking it for ourselves as we drive to our safe work environments where we'll receive good paychecks? What if we asked the Lord to bless the lives of our co-workers, even the ones we don't particularly get along with, rather than asking that He shower down His blessings solely on us? What if we prayed that God would give guidance to our leaders rather than asking that He'd make us the leader since we're pretty confident we'd do everything right? What if we asked God to heal our friend rather than asking Him to help us shake off the few pounds we've gained from a lack of discipline? And what if we asked Him to give us a heart to see people in the way He sees them rather than asking Him to change them to our liking? What if we realized that we aren't the only one in the world with needs and wants and desires? What if we actually thought of others, prayed for others, and considered others before ourselves?
"We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn’t live to please himself." - Romans 15:1-3
If we want to be like Jesus, we have to consider one another. It might mean that you have to sacrifice. It might mean that you don't get your way completely or at all. You may be inconvenienced and even pushed out of your comfort zone. Considering others might require more of you than you'd like to give. But you've been considered. You've been thought of. Jesus placed you before His own desires, and isn't that an incredible feeling? The fact that someone would go that far out of their way to consider you, that they would be so generous and kind and loving even though they didn't have to be, makes you see them in a different light doesn't it? Doesn't that make you appreciate them to the greatest degree? Selflessness is a beautiful thing when genuinely practiced, and selflessness is one of the best ways we reflect our God to a world that encourages us to live in selfish ways.
So consider them. Consider God's people. Consider the thoughts and feeling of those you come into contact with each day. Consider the Lord. And remember that, because Christ didn't live to please Himself, you, yourself, have been considered. Doesn't it feel good?
#930 - Because He considered us.
"Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too." - Philippians 2:3-4