Self Centeredness

SELF-CENTEREDNESS

1. Love is not self-seeking.

"It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs" (1 Corinthians 13:5).

2. Selfish ambition is unspiritual and of the devil.

"But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice" (James 3:14-16).

3. Jesus condemned James and John for their self-seeking attitude, and He calls us all to humble service.

"Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:26-28).

4. Jesus calls us to self-denial.

Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self" (Luke 9:23-25).

5. Don't be self-centered, but think of others.

"Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others" (1 Corinthians 10:24).

6. Follow Jesus' example by thinking of how to please others.

"Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me" (Romans 15:2-3).