It's Not About Us

I was having a conversation with someone recently about the struggle of building a child's character and helping them not be so self absorbed. We were honest with each other and concluded that we are pretty self absorbed as well. It is very easy to see selfishness in our children. Left to themselves without discipline or instruction, most children would spend all their time playing computer games and watching television or movies. Left to ourselves without discipline, we would be absorbed with our favorite pleasures. The point is, it doesn't matter whether you are male or female, 6 or 60, we are all self absorbed. We want to do what pleases us.

People have been self absorbed since the beginning the time. It was Eve's selfish thinking that caused her to eat the fruit off the tree she was specifically told not to. She wanted to do what she wanted to do, regardless of the instructions she had been given. When we really grasp that life isn't about us, we begin to make a shift in our behavior.

God sent His Son to die for us. We are not our own. We were bought at a price and therefore, we are to glorify God in our bodies (1 Corinthians 6: 19, 20). Paul tells the Galatians, "I have been crucified with Christ: it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now life in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

Because of sin, selfishness is a struggle for all of us. Let us remember the forgiveness we have been given in Christ for our sin (1 John 1:9). As we try to help others with the struggle of being self absorbed, we need to show them Christ's love and forgiveness. Help them understand life is not about us. We are not our own. We belong to Him who bought us and paid the price with His blood.