Me, Selfish?

We can stand a lot of criticism about some things and be pretty good-natured about it. We can take a ribbing about being a bench warmer, for we know that one of these days we'll be called into the game and then we'll show them. Maybe those grades aren't so high as they should be, but they're inching up all the time. No, we didn't trim the grass around the trees the last time, but we'll do it.

But just let someone tell us we are selfish. Then watch the fur fly1 We are willing to sit on the sidelines in order to learn the game. We try to improve and realize that we learn by our mistakes, but what's the hurry? We'll learn. We leave jobs undone for important things we personally have to attend to. Or we had a date to go swimming and we couldn't get all the grass cut. But we don't like to call that selfishness.

About that fellow who forgot to pack a lunch the day we went on the hike. He brought money to buy his lunch. Out in the woods! That was tough, and maybe he'll learn the hard way if he goes hungry for a day. You had just enough for yourself anyhow. Someone wants to borrow your bike to see about a summer job across town. What if you will be needing it yourself while he is gone? Better not let him have it. Whose bike is it, anyway?

Selfish? Well, what else would you call it? It all boils down to a "me first" way of thinking. The follower of Christ puts the other fellow first and takes what is left. Selfishness begins within us and sometimes it ends, if you can call it an end, in war. We may never be the one to start a war, but we can ask God to give us unselfish minds that make for peace.