Beyond Selfishness

“I have no one quite like Timothy. He is loyal and genuinely concerned for you. Most people around here are looking out for themselves, with little concern for the things of Jesus (Phil 2:20-21 – The Message Translation)”.

From time to time, I am shocked by the degree of self-interest I find in my life. Even things done in the name of Jesus are intended to further my own agenda. Talk about using the Lord’s name in vain! How often do we appear to be working for Jesus but actually it is all about us? Then the there are those who claim the name of Christ without even pretending to be concerned with the things of Jesus. Both conditions are deadly serious.

Currently, my self-interest is expressed in the amount of time I spend “looking in the mirror”. That is to say, I can get preoccupied with what I look like in the eyes of others. Perhaps you can relate to what I am talking about?

Further, I am currently distressed because it looks like God is requiring me to set aside a writing project that has been a long-standing dream of mine. To put it bluntly: people and their needs keep getting in the way of my writing! I can’t seem to put the one above the other! But maybe that is an indication of transformation. Paul’s words about Timothy remind me that concern for the things of Jesus is expressed as a genuine concern for others.

Perhaps God will allow me to continue the project in the future. Maybe then it will be a genuine provision for the needs of others rather than a pandering to my own need for significance or worth. God knows! And He always knows best.

Cheers for now - Ian