Selfishness

Let me make a strong statement:

I've never yet met a person who isn't selfish in some way.  Totally selfless.

I know that I can be selfish.  To give myself a little credit, I am getting a lot better about selfishness, but still have a long ways to go.

We all hide it pretty well, some of us, but it's pretty hard to hide when it is in your own family, or at church, or even with your co-workers.

You put a group of selfish people together and stuff happens. 

It's the root cause of all relational conflict.  We want our own way.  No matter what it costs, we want our own way.

"If I don't get my own way - than I am out of here."

Alan Redpath has written, "the secret of every discord in Christian homes and communities and churches is that we seek our own way and our own glory."

Pastor James writes In James 4:1, "What causes fights and quarrels among you?  Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?

Taking care of "number one" is instinctive within us because of our carnal sinful nature.

Look in the Bible and you will see the selfishness, what I am talking about.

What about Jacob and Esau?

What about the brothers of Joseph?

What about the family of Jesus?

What about the disciples who fought to see who would be the greatest in the kingdom?

Selfishness.

There's the story about Emily Sue who was going into labor, and her husband, Bubba, Called 911.  The operator told Bubba she would send someone out right away.  "Where do you live?" asked the operator.

Bubba replied, "Eucalyptus Drive."

The operator asked, "Can  you spell that for me?"

There was a pause, and then Bubba said, "How about I take her over to Oak street, and you pick her up there."

Selfishness.

May we all have the spirit of Christ of whom it was said in Mark 10:45, "he did not come to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many."