Living Selflessly

If I were to ask you what the opposite of love is, you would probably say, “Hate.” However, when we look at the characteristics of love, we begin to see a different picture. No doubt you can think of the attributes found in 1 Corinthians 13. Keep those in mind as we remember the story of the religious teacher who asked what the greatest commandment was. In Mark 12:31-32, Jesus said, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these” (NLT). Thinking of these attributes and requirements from God, I would contend that selfishness could be the opposite of love. When you think of relational breakdowns, you will likely find selfishness as the root cause.

In Philippians 2, Paul is addressing the church there on how to behave. In verses 3-4 he wrote, “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” This is the recipe for loving your neighbor as yourself. We must learn to look out for the needs of others starting in the Body of Christ. It’s easy to love and be unselfish with the people we like, but what about those we don’t get along with? I remember Jesus telling us in the Sermon on the Mount to even love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute you so you can show you are truly Gods children. How good are you at living an unselfish life? How good are you at taking an interest in the lives of others that you come in contact with?

Paul went on in Philippians 2:5 to say, “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” Jesus demonstrated His love for us in that while we were sinners, He died for us. Unselfish love is what drove Him to give up His divine privileges, to be born a human, to humble Himself in obedience and to die on the cross. What a challenge Paul gave us in asking us to have the same attitude Jesus had. He understood that if the world is going to know us by our love, it is going to have to show up one selfless act at a time. It’s going to take each of us to committing to living selflessly in a selfish world. When we get good at living out Philippians 2, I believe we will make an impact on culture and see revival in our time. Who is God putting on your heart today to show love to? Don’t hesitate. Reach out today.

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