Don’t Be Selfish

“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” Philippians 2:3-4

For as long as I can remember, advertisements have been telling us that we can “have it our way.” Culture says we should “look out for number one” because “he who dies with the most toys wins.” With the advent of the internet, social media, and selfies, our society has become more self-centered than ever, with no end in sight.

Compared to modern culture, the Kingdom of God could be described as an upside-down kingdom, a kingdom of opposites. While modern culture encourages us to gain, the Kingdom of God encourages us to give. Culture says, “Look out for number one,” while Scripture plainly tells us not to be selfish. If selfishness were an epidemic, obedience to the Word of God would be the cure.

While society yells, “Hold my beer and watch this,” Paul writes, “Don’t try to impress others.” Amongst the swirling chaos of a me-centered universe, Paul says, “Be humble. Think of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”

This was the attitude Christ had, and we are instructed to imitate Him.*

*Ephesians 5:1