Less Self, More Christ-Like
By Rachel Head
I heard a sermon recently about how to be more selfless and it really made me think about how I can make myself more like Christ. Selflessness is the act of “having no concern for self : unselfish” according to the Webster Dictionary. That does not mean neglecting yourself because to be able to take care of others we have to be healthy enough. Instead it means to take any and all opportunities that are given to us to act selfless. As teenagers and young adults it may seem like we do not get that many opportunities but if we look for those opportunities we can find them.
Selflessness first starts in the heart. It is initiated when we have a change of attitude from selfishness to being unselfish/selfless. Ruth gives us the perfect example of a change of heart. Her family were Moabites which were not God’s people. She had to learn how to follow God after marrying her husband, whose family were God’s people. The real test of her faith came when her husband died and Naomi told her that she could leave. Ruth refused and instead of leaving, insisted that she came with Naomi so that she could follow after Naomi and take care of her. Ruth went and worked in barley fields so that she could provide for herself and Naomi. Ruth could have gone with her sister-in-law back to their family, but she decided to go with Naomi and help her. If she would not have had true selflessness, she would have not stayed with Naomi. Selflessness has to start in our hearts and attitudes.
Selflessness is then shown through our actions. After John, the cousin of Jesus, is approached by his disciples about Jesus baptizing and all the people going to him, John answers by saying this selfless sentence. “He must increase, but I must decrease. He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.” John 3:30-31. John was selfless in saying this because all of the people were going to Jesus instead of him. He knew that his time was finished and he had done his job in making the way for Jesus’ coming.
Lastly, let’s look at some ways that we can become more selfless and some questions to consider.
How much time are we committing each week to helping the programs that go on at our local congregation? (Evangelism, Tabitha class, VBS, Ladies Bible Class/Ladies Day, etc.)
Are we putting our wants above God in our priority list?
Are we helping those on our prayer list or those who are shut-in? Are we praying for them on a daily basis?
Are we putting our best effort into being selfless every day or just occasionally?