The one I want to focus on today is selfishness. This one like the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. What it basically boils down to is that we sometimes try to sit on God’s throne. Everyone who has ever lived (except Jesus) has fallen to selfishness and sinned because of it, probably multiple times. The sad thing about it is that thinking of self first is actually harmful to us. If we want to truly do what will be best for us selfishness is not the way.
Selfishness may involve time, money, power, bad habits, etc. As a father selfishness is destructive to the family. When we think of God as a Father one of the things we have to see is His selflessness. He loves and gives and goes the extra mile and sacrifices and suffers to do what is best for His family. Are you willing to do those things to be like Him?
I heard an extreme story, but it makes the point. There was a man whose family was down to their last $20 dollars for the month and they were out of groceries. He took the money and went to the store. He bought himself a steak and bought milk and cereal for his wife and kids. He could have bought some ingredients to make 2 or 3 meals for the same $20. Now, most of us realize the selfishness of this man, but do we recognize our own selfishness when we watch our favorite show and ignore the children, or spend our time on our favorite internet site and ignore our wives trying to tell us about their day, or we buy that new truck, motorcycle, gun, TV, etc. and then tell our ‘loved’ ones that there isn’t enough money for their toy, computer, piece of furniture, etc.
It is hard to face the fact that we are selfish, but we must face that fact if we are going to be better husbands and fathers. Pay attention this week to the things that you are doing that are selfish and determine to do as the scriptures teach. Philippians 2:3-5 "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. (4) Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. (5) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:"