​

Selfless Living in a “Selfie” World

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.”
Luke 9:57–58
Each year the Oxford English Dictionary selects a Word of the Year as a way of recognizing a new word that has entered the language and made an impact. In a rare decision, 2013 saw the unanimous selection of “selfie” as the Word of the Year. The ubiquitous smart phones with their cameras have sparked a craze of self-portraits. The Oxford English Dictionary publishers released a statement saying, “It seems everyone has posted a selfie somewhere on the Internet.” There are few more apt metaphors for our society—including within much of the church—than our obsession with placing ourselves in the center of the picture.
The example of Jesus is very different. While He deserves all the glory of the universe, He willingly gave up not just immeasurable riches but even basic comforts and necessities to follow the will of His Father in Heaven. How tightly we cling to our rights and privileges, and how unfair we think it is when things don’t go exactly as we think they should! Our response to disruption in our plans and schedules says so much about who is in charge of our lives.
Henry Drummond said, “The entrance fee into the kingdom of heaven is nothing: the annual subscription is everything.” Those who would follow Jesus must first count the cost and determine if they are willing to pay the price of selfless living. The footsteps of Jesus will not lead us to a path of ease. And if we are focused on what makes us happy and comfortable, we will find His path too hard to keep walking.

Today’s Growth Principle: 

The only way to follow Jesus is to focus on Him rather than on ourselves.

CURRENT RADIO SERIES LifeWorks     CURRENT TV SERIES LifeWorks

“You shall not steal.”   --Exodus 20:15 Today I simply want to ask the question, are you a giver or a taker? And I want you to think about that question in terms of your relationship with people and your relationship with God. First, your relationship with people. When it comes to others, are you a giver or a taker? Think about the words you say. Does what you say build people up… or tear them down? Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Is your life marked by this verse? Then think about your actions. Does what you do help people… or hurt people? Proverbs 3:27 says, “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.” Are you letting this verse play itself out in your life? Now I want you to think about your relationship with God. When it comes to him, are you a giver or a taker? Think about the life that he’s given you through Christ. Are you showing thankfulness to him by living a life serving him, loving him, and worshipping him? First Corinthians 6:20 says, “You were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” As followers of Christ, you and I have been bought and paid for by the blood of the Lord Jesus and who we are and what we have belongs to Him. We are purchased as His own possession!   That means when we withhold our lives and gifts from Him… when we sit on the sidelines and do not participate in the work of the ministry of Christ on earth… we are taking from God what’s really his. We’re robbing him! And the same is true when we don’t bring him our tithes and offerings. So today my encouragement is this. No one, not you or me or anyone else, is a giver 100% of the time. We’re all selfish to some degree. But don’t let that keep you from striving to give yourself completely—to others and most of all… to God. WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, ARE YOU A GIVER OR A TAKER?