Give Up Selfish Ambition

Who is it all about? Too often we make it about ourselves. We are the center of our universe. And we strive to do everything for “me, myself, and I.”

We see the effects of selfishness all around us. We were taught to share in preschool. But it is a hard lesson to learn no matter what age. Greed has a way of taking hold. If we all learned that lesson, much of the need in this world would not exist.

Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was. His response was, “you shall love the Lord with all you got.” However, that was not the end of his response. He continues by saying, “love your neighbor as yourself.”

The point that Jesus is making here is that you cannot love God without loving your neighbor. These two things are tightly entwined. Our love for neighbor comes from our love for God. And our love for God is shown through our love for our neighbor.

This does not mean we neglect ourselves. He does not say love your neighbor more than yourself. You can practice self-love. Take care of yourself and be good to yourself. But don’t pamper yourself to the neglect of others.

Also, make sure to check your motivation. Sometimes serving others is not so much about serving others. I can be more about making us feel good about ourselves. It is our way of propping ourselves up as a “good person.”

There are times when a volunteer doesn’t get recognized in church. They become upset because they were not recognized. I understand that frustration. It is good to be recognized for our hard work. At the same time, if we are working for the Lord, we shouldn’t need recognition. We know that God sees what others do not see.

Selfless ambition starts with Jesus. The most selfless act in history was his sacrifice on the cross. Jesus tells us that there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life. He did more than just give it lip service. He did it for you and me.