By: Pastor Jarren Rogers

“Selfishness turns life into a burden. Unselfishness turns a burden into life!” – Robert Schuller

If you took sin into a spiritual lab, poured it into a test tube, held it over a Bunsen burner, burned away all of the excess material, and examined the core element of sin, you would find this:

Selfishness.

Selfishness is the essence of sin. It is that which all of sin sprouts from. Look at any of the seven deadly sins: pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath and sloth. Each one begins with selfishness.

Selfishness or self-sovereignty can make you miserable. Always thinking about yourself can cause you to constantly be comparing yourself to others. You find yourself in a constant state of competition and unsatisfied desires. You are always thinking, “Why is this happening to me?” Being absorbed in self-pity can steal your joy and truly make you miserable.

Selfishness is bad for us. It makes us bitter and paranoid, yet it is such an easy and natural trap for humans to fall into.

The good news is this: Selfishness is at the core of sin, but selflessness is at the core of holiness.

True selflessness is a gift that comes through a relationship with God and the infilling of His Spirit.

A truly selfless person does not compare themselves with other people, rather they show love, compassion, and caring for the other. They do not look at their situation and say, “Why is this happening to me?” but instead say, “How can God use me?”

Selflessness is the God-given cure for the miserable, attractive, stinking, mess that is selfishness.

Selflessness takes a huge weight off our shoulders. It means that we no longer have to care about ourselves because God is doing just that on our behalf. Best of all, it makes us more into the image of Christ.

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 2:3-5).

Selflessness is a gift.

Will you receive it?

Parents: Explain to your kids how selfishness can affect them. Let them know that God wants to help them care more about others then they do about themselves. Pray for selflessness from God along with them.