Other- centeredness

Reader, be warned… the next few sentences might be a bit convicting.

If you’re anything like me, I’d bet you can look back and see, over the span of your lifetime, that you’ve been really selfish at times. As a matter of fact, if I’m to be honest, I’ve been selfish more often than not. This has come with consequences such as pushing people away, reducing people to what they can do for me, more sin, a poor spirit, and an impaired walk with God. When it comes to what truly matters, those are quite possibly the worst consequences imaginable.

Now, there’s a lot of reasons why Jesus Christ was and is better than all of us. That said, there’s this one thing that might just be the number one reason. Jesus was completely other-centered. He never puts Himself above or before anyone. He gets down on our level to meet us where we’re at, and then He stoops down even lower to serve us in ways no one else can or will.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Philippians 2:3-4

You see, we’re not islands unto ourselves. We’re all a part of something way bigger than just us. Our choices and actions have tremendous impact on others. We have a responsibility to live this out with love and humility.

If we choose to grow and move beyond a self-centered focus, we become more available to God and others. As we learn to love God and others with true humility and put them first, we open ourselves up to receiving love… and that’s never a bad thing!

We will always reap what we sow. There’s no way around it.

Plant seeds of self-centeredness, and we’ll have to deal with the consequences.

Plant seeds of other-centeredness, and we’ll get to enjoy the harvest.

Spend some time getting to know Jesus, and He’ll show you the way.