“Helping one person might not change the world, but it could change the world for one person.” ~ Anonymous
It’s natural from birth to be overly concerned with ourselves. Some of the first words we learn to speak are “my, me, and mine.” The same goes for living among others. It’s not uncommon to want to be treated special or left alone in isolation; sometimes experiencing both feelings at the same time, either way, it’s still self-obsession. We are looking out for number one as extraverts, introverts, or anywhere in between. How do we break free of this self-obsession, continually worrying about ourselves, and how we measure up in the world?
There must be a paradigm shift of a massive proportion to move from extreme self-focused to other-focused. Something on a supernatural level must exist inside a person to move from a taker to a giver. Only God dwelling inside us makes this possible. Even if you claim to be atheist or agnostic, your propensity to put others first is a gift from God and not because you are good in your own right.
We live in a culture that promotes individualism and consumerism. Get all you can, as fast as you can, because nobody is looking out for you. This message fuels our extreme self-centeredness and keeps the spotlight on ourselves. Living on self-propulsion leads to constant fear, resentment, futility, unhappiness, emptiness, and confusion.
Jesus taught the world a valuable lesson and gave us one of the greatest truths known to humankind, “Whoever wants to be first must be least of all and the servant of all” (Mark 9:35 – CEB). We must grow spiritually to live a life of love by serving others. The constant thought of others and putting others’ needs before our own is the secret to living the best life ever. Winners come in last by putting others first.
Magnificent God, You have made the world wonderful for me and have given me your unconditional love. How can I ever thank You or repay You for Your grace and kindness? Help me serve others with dignity and compassion. Give me eyes to see people as You do, not judging by mere appearances, but valuing and treating people as Jesus does. In Your Spirit and Name, I pray these things. May Your will and not mine be done now and forever, Amen.¹.
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