Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
Tag Archives: selfish
God and the world
The world is a mess. I don’t know of many people who deny that. Morals have become distorted, God is forbidden in some places (apparently by those who think He can be told what to do), and people are more selfish than they have ever been it seems. In the midst of the craziness our job is to TRUST HIM.
We trust Him in our lives, with our marriages, with our children, with our homes and our jobs. We need to TRUST HIM. That does not mean that our lives will go exactly as we want them to go. He has warned us in His Word that we will have trouble in our lives. It does mean that when everything falls apart we still trust that He is good all the time.
When families crumble, when people leave, when children die, when loved ones do not turn to Him, when commitments are broken, when our hearts our broken, we still hold onto His promises that …
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)
and
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
In this world that is a crazy mess, He has already overcome. Our job is to trust Him, to let His light shine and to take as many people as we can to Heaven with us…where the pain will stop…where we will be forever if we know Him and follow His ways.
COMMITMENT
There was a time when a person’s word meant everything. It was trusted because it marked a person’s character. If you could keep your word you were a good friend and a reliable employee. Neighbors wanted to be with you and not with the person who snubbed them in the past.
There was a time when people craved commitment and having a purpose. It was not long ago that while a great deal of people had begun not to care about those things anymore, a great presence of people still wanted to have meaning in their life. In the past decade those numbers have dwindled at an alarming rate.
There was a time when people had values. Some would argue that values have simply changed, but there is a harsh difference in a “changed value” and no value at all.
I have given the lives of my children to God. I know He has a purpose for their lives. I also am all too aware that my job is to raise them up in the way that they should go. A job that I cannot do alone. A job that is really God working through me and my husband. I pray for their salvation constantly, and for them to not fall into the millions of options of temptation that are around every corner.
I am tired of people doing what they want just because they can. I am tired of selfishness and looking out for number one. I am sorry if life isn’t always perfect, but big news is that no one’s life is perfect. Putting things and self first is not going to change that. I am tired of the “cool” people (from age 5-95) being cool because of all the “stuff” they have or all the places they have gone or stunts they have pulled.
Why isn’t it “cool” to raise a family? To commit to serving others? To lead people to Christ and know that they will live for eternity in His presence? Last I checked eternity is infinitely longer than are lives on earth…for real.
Moms and Dads may live the most exciting lives in all actuality. Most parents have children that turn their hair gray from time to time…or 10 times a day. We are always riding on the brink of disaster. 😉
I am not knocking fancy houses and cars, being promoted at your company or traveling the world. All those are wonderful things. I am challenging everyone everywhere to put people first. Keep your word, keep your promises, stay with your families even if it means sacrificing, don’t let a little pain make you run from the things you once loved.
Most importantly, love God, follow Jesus, trust in the Holy Spirit to guide you. Stand firm in your faith. If you don’t know Jesus, find out about Him and ask Him to show you the way. HAVE PURPOSE IN YOUR LIFE, don’t just follow the next “cool” guy or chase after the next best thing. Make a life you can be proud to say you lived and proud for others’ to see. Make a life that the next generation will want to live and pray for a revival in our nation.
7.22.13
Proverbs 20:6-7
Many a man claims to have unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find? The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him.
Marriage:
Marriage used to be sacred, used to be taken seriously, used to be forever. It should be. It is called to be. It isn’t anymore.
I (sadly) often wonder how many brides and grooms go to the altar these days pledging to love and adore their spouse until death do they part, or someone better comes along. I wonder if brides and grooms these days expect forever. It is heartbreaking. I expect forever, my friends expect forever, but forever isn’t always what occurs.
So many of our friends now are experiencing the pain of affairs and divorce. It is horrendous to watch and be up close and personal with. There are so many pains in this world, but I cannot fathom facing one where you lose your best friend, the one who is supposed to carry you through the bad times or at least bear them with you. God of course is ever present. It is still so hard.
I blame the selfishness we as a people have acquired over the years. So many horrible decisions are made in the here and the now. “This feels good now, I should do it. My kids, wife, family, friend, etc all come in second to how I am feeling. It is all about me. I should be able to do anything I want and not deal with the consequences.” This way of thinking causes issues in marriages, in unplanned pregnancies, in drinking and driving, in drugs, in every sinful area of life. I despise this way of thinking. And I say that knowing I am not perfect and my thoughts are not perfect.
Whether or not you are a Bible believer (of course you know I am), the rules and laws of the Bible do prevent a lot of pain if they are followed. And they don’t prevent a lot of fun as many tend to believe.
I am thankful for my faithful husband. I am more thankful for my faithful God! And I pray all the time that my children may grow up caring for others over themselves and that they may spend eternity with their Holy God.
Choosing Joy and Begging For Mercy
The past week I have been grumpy. And not just a little…I have not been a pleasant person to be around. I let people get under my skin. I am not one to enjoy drama, rudeness or intentionally hurting someone’s feelings. I am not one to think it is ok to forget common courtesies…letting people know of a change of plans, doing what you say you are going to do, basic politeness. I am someone who actually listens to people when they talk…something I fear is going by the wayside. So…I get frustrated when people don’t seem to extend the same courtesies, do thrive on drama and attention, don’t listen. (sigh). I think the listening thing hits especially hard because I am with little people all day long who are still learning that listening is what you are supposed to do. Plus, I am not one to drone on … I am generally pretty quiet. So when I do talk…to an adult…I just want to be heard.
Anyway, my first problem (my problem, yes me) is that I let this little stuff bother me. People all around me are going through HUGE life crises or at least life changing events, people around the world are suffering and dying, and I am concerned that someone didn’t listen to me…wow! Can someone say selfish?
My second problem is, while people legitimately irritated me over the past week (in the secular world view) I still failed to choose joy. I let myself be effected and in turn effect others who didn’t want to see my grumpiness. Surely, surely, surely I was not a pleasing follower of Christ and that is and should always be my first priority. How many people didn’t/don’t pay Christ with common courtesy, on top of all else they/we did/do to Him, and in His last breaths He was concerned and prayed for them and us.
My third problem is that being grumpy is exhausting and not fun! It made me miserable and those around me and then I felt guilty and it was just bad all around. If those people in my life want to choose drama and attention, my response to them should not be grumpiness, but pity. How sad if someone needs to be that self centered. How sad to want to feel miserable all the time.
And yet, I felt miserable for foolish things. And I AM NO BETTER! I am sure I drive people crazy, say things I shouldn’t, am selfish at times and just generally don’t act like others think I should.
So in my grumpiness I learned, I need to get closer to Christ, be more like Him, be kind to others, be respectful without being a doormat, and generally not let silly things change who I am.
I CHOOSE JOY!
And I beg God to forgive me for being selfish, judgmental and down right yucky!
11.19.12
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves
Philippians 2:3
6.11.12
For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
James 3:16
3.18.12
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves
Philippians 2:3
